According to a statement issued by the EU, the two sides had agreed on a number of "common steps" towards visa-free travel, such as introducing biometric passports and preventing illegal migration.

"Approving the common steps, and amendments on the visa-waiver agreements is an important step further to visa free travel, and opens up for more people-to-people contacts," European Council President Herman Van Rompuy told press conference following the summit.

"This will further open up Russia to the EU and the EU to Russia," he said.

Journalists, people from civil society organizations and business people would be the first to benefit from the EU visa facilitation provisions, according to European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso.

Also on December 15, the EU leaders celebrated Russia’s accession to the World Trade Organization, which is officially scheduled to take place in Geneva on December 16.

Van Rompuy described it as leverage for Russia's modernization. "It opens a myriad of new opportunities for trade, investment and global growth," he said.

Xinhua