The EU offered Belgrade closer trade relations and relaxed visa requirements but still no path to EU membership.

EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana said the deal would bring Belgrade closer to Brussels, as cited by EuroNews.

"By making this offer, we are also stabilising the continent and stabilising the EU, and that will not be achieved until an important country like Serbia becomes part of the EU," Solana commented.

Experts claim that through the deal the European Union sends a positive message ahead of the second round of Serbia's presidential elections, in which pro-Western incumbent Boris Tadic faces nationalist candidate Tomislav Nikolic.

The member states, however, decided not to offer a Stability and Association Agreement with Serbia, which is the plan to a full membership, as the Netherlands and Belgium insist that the Balkan country first hand suspected war criminals to the Hague tribunal.

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