The new list harmonises air safety regulations across the EU

Knives and guns are also on a list of items to be prohibited from aircraft cabins as of 1 February.

The European Commission says it aims to give "clear and unambiguous information to passengers flying from EU airports".

The ban harmonises different air safety provisions in place across the 15 member states of the European Union.

National authorities could impose further bans if necessary, the commission said in a statement.

Commission officials also agreed on a separate list for checked luggage - items including bleach, rat poison, infected blood, vehicle batteries, corrosive or radioactive material will now be banned altogether from aircraft.

"Ensuring that air passengers are safe is a top priority for the EU," said the commission's head in the UK, Jim Dougal.

"This is why we need to ban items that could be used as weapons by terrorists."

Sky marshal row

Aviation officials from the EU and US met in Brussels on Friday to discuss American proposals to use armed sky marshals on transatlantic flights.

They did not reach an agreement.

A European spokesman said that while everybody was concerned with improving security, unilateral decisions could not be accepted.

Officials from Portugal, Sweden, Finland and Denmark said they would rather cancel flights than agree to the presence of armed guards, who they said could put the lives of passengers and crew at risk.

But senior US officials say armed guards are needed to prevent terrorist attacks.