European Union (EU) leaders agreed Thursday on the principles of how much financial contribution should be made to the global fight against climate change, setting stage for year-end talks in Copenhagen for new international deal.

"The main principles of contribution should be the ability to pay and the responsibility for emissions," leaders from the 27 EU countries agreed at a summit starting in Brussels on Thursday.

"All countries, except the least developed, should contribute to the financing of the fight against climate change in developing countries," according to draft conclusions which have been adopted by EU leaders without change.

It was estimated that poor countries may need as much as 100 billion euros (US$140 billion) every year before 2020 to cover costs of cutting green-house gas emissions.

But EU leaders fell short of specifying the amount of the 27-nation bloc's contribution, pressing others to do their part.

(Xinhua News Agency June 19, 2009)