European Union governments agreed on Thursday to ease travel restrictions for people living near the bloc's external borders, a move that will make life easier for many Ukrainians and Russians.

Residents of border regions in countries bordering the EU will be offered multi-entry "local borders traffic permits" free of charge, rather than having to seek costly travel visas.

The permits allow entry to the EU for short periods of time through special border crossing points or fast-track lanes at ordinary border crossings.

"The everyday life of people living in border areas will be remarkably eased, while maintaining controls at external borders up to Schengen standards," EU Justice Commissioner Franco Frattini said.

The so-called Schengen area comprises 13 EU member states plus Norway and Iceland which have effectively abolished internal borders.

EU member states will have to reach bilateral agreements with neighboring countries to implement the new travel arrangements. The EU's executive Commission will monitor the situation and propose changes, if necessary, after two years.

The new rules will apply to border region residents of the countries that have a land frontier with the EU, such as Russia, Belarus and Ukraine.

It took EU governments about three years to work out the details of the change which has been sought mainly by new member states in central and eastern Europe, such as Poland.

Some governments had been cautious about the plan due to public fears about organized crime and illegal immigrants.