The European Union (EU) said Monday in Brussel that it is ready to send China a "positive signal" on arms embargo when leaders from both sides meet in the Netherlands in December.

Dutch Foreign Minister Bernard Bot, who is now also the head of the Council of the EU, told reporters after the first day of the ministerial meeting that the EU is to send the positive signal on lifting its 15-year old arms embargo despite opposition from human rights campaigners and the US.

"We are ready to give a positive signal as far as the lifting of the embargo is concerned, but ... there remain a number of concerns", he said.

At present the EU member states are divided on the issue.

It is expected that any revision of the ban would be coupled with a tightening up of the EU's code of conduct which governs arms sales which may be enough to get an agreement among EU members.