European Union leaders will hold an informal summit in Copenhagen on December 17 to hammer out the details of the bloc's contributions to a global climate change fund, diplomatic sources said Friday, DPA reported.

The informal summit will be held before the final day of key UN climate change talks in the Danish capital.

US President Barack Obama is expected to arrive in Copenhagen on

the 18th.

In Copenhagen, EU leaders will discuss whether to step up their emission cuts efforts.

The bloc has so far agreed to cut its emissions of greenhouse gases by 20 per cent below 1990 levels by 2020.

But UN officials and big developing nations such as China say the EU should do more.