The proposal “remains on the table”, Cameron said. “I believe solutions should be possible if all sides reach out to each other”.
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Substantive differences remain, but Cameron and other European leaders said after a grueling negotiating session in Brussels they would search for a compromise ahead of a February summit.
“We agreed to work together to find solutions in all four baskets raised by Prime Minster Cameron. And in the run-up to the February European Council, I will table a concrete text to all the leaders”. British sources tonight said there are “different ways” of constructing the policy.
“Leaders voiced their concerns, but also demonstrated (a) willingness to look for compromises”, he said.
Cameron “reiterated the openness to alternative solutions only if they could achieve the same objective”, Tusk said.
“Why can’t he just say, “Well, actually, this argument really belongs within the Conservative Party”, and perhaps the Conservative Party should sort out what their problem is first”.
The Visegrad Group, an alliance of Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic and Slovakia, issued a joint statement condemning Mr Cameron’s proposals as “discrimination”.
Cameron claims the “unprecedented” influx of migrants is “undermining support for the European Union” among British citizens.
Although nobody was expecting a deal to be struck at the meeting, comments from several leaders sent strong signals there would still be a long, hard night of talks on Cameron’s reform demands.
Meanwhile, a €3bn European Union deal with Turkey – which is now home to more than 2-million Syrian refugees – to stop migrants coming to Europe has yet to bear fruit.
Similar rhetoric was expressed by French President Francois Hollande.
One that has been suggested is an emergency brake, or a political mechanism that allows either the European Council, the Commission or the Parliament to decide if migration is causing such a strain on the economy that it can be halted, according to an EU diplomat familiar with the talks. “It is on that basis that we can pursue the discussions”.
Cameron is seeking wholesale changes to how the EU is managed and wants to ingrain it more with the British view of non-interference and sustained sovereignty rather than the EU’s mantra of ever closer union.
The summit wraps up an “annus horribilis” for the European Union which has seen it confront overlapping crises – the Ukraine conflict, Greece’s euro crisis, migration, the Paris attacks and Britain – that have threatened the post-war dream of a unified continent.
Angela Merkel’s verdict was that “intensive discussions” would be needed but “with goodwill a way could be found”. But she added: “I think with a good will, we can find a good way”.
He said: “People want to know that we can help relieve some of the pressure in terms of the movement of people across Europe, not because Britain is unwelcoming – we are an incredibly welcoming country, we have one of the most cosmopolitan countries on earth and people come to Britain to work hard and make a life for themselves and that strengthens our country”.
“The only way to take back control is to Vote Leave”.
“The clearest message from David Cameron is that everyone including David Cameron is not ready to accept discrimination”, he said. “How many times can his little plans be rejected?” he said. It was published Thursday, one day after two telephone polls gave the opposite result. “He was told to come back in February when I suspect he will probably get a few minor concessions”, Farage said.
Defence Secretary Michael Fallon said the government was “deadly serious” about measures to prevent the country’s benefits system being a “magnet for migration”.
He told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme. But work on substance needs to be done.
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Cameron also reminded that for him, “what matters is that change is legally binding and irreversible”. The British prime minister insisted the timing of the vote was not discussed at the meeting.
