Brussels, June 11 (RHC) -- The European Union joined Latin America and the Caribbean in calling for the United States to lift its decades-old economic blockade of Cuba, as leaders of the three regions ended a two-day summit in Brussels.

Top officials from the nations making up the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) and the European Union also 
welcomed the recent efforts by Cuba and the United States to re-establish diplomatic relations.

"In this context, we expect all necessary steps to be taken towards an early end to the blockade," the EU and Latin American nations said in a joint statement.

The sanctions have had "undue humanitarian consequences" for the Cuban people and are "damaging to the legitimate development of economic ties between Cuba, the European Union and other countries."

The EU and Cuba are scheduled to hold another round of talks in Brussels next week in a bid to normalise their own strained ties.