The EU leaders have chose to hammer out “mutually satisfactory solutions in all the four areas” at next summit scheduled for February 18 to 19. The first day of the summit on Thursday (December 17) was dominated by Europe’s refugee and migrant crisis and concerns of the United Kingdom over the country’s role within the EU.
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David Cameron has signalled that the United Kingdom will stage its referendum on membership of the European Union in 2016 and made clear his view that continued membership is vital not just to economic security but to the fight against global terrorism.
Polish prime minister Beata Szyd?o reiterated that she was still not prepared to accept the UK’s welfare proposal, which would need unanimous approval from all 28 states.
When asked by a journalist about how Britain could manage a referendum in such a short time, Cameron said he have been mandating with British people since the election back in May.
European Union leaders have offered David Cameron a limited “emergency break”, allowing Britain to stop migrants claiming benefits if they are harming public services.
The EU leaders also warned Cameron that they will not give in on the “red lines”, which refers to the core principles of the bloc including the freedom of movement and non-discrimination. But we need immigration.
“Good progress” had been made, he told a concluding press conference, but it would be “hard work” to get a deal finalised before the February deadline.
Prime Minister David Cameron has discussed the possibility of moving Mr Johnson to the Foreign Office in the place of Philip Hammond – who is rumoured to be a Eurosceptic – after he steps down as Mayor of London next May, the Telegraph reports.
He added: “If you think about the terrorist and security threats we face, and the situation brought about by what Russian Federation has done in Ukraine, [and] the terrorist threat generated by the instability in the Middle East, I think we are better off standing together with our allies and partners in a reformed Europe and that is why, if anything, this negotiation has got more important”.
“The good news is that there is a pathway to an agreement”, Cameron hailed at a press conference early in the morning.
“What matters is that these changes are legally binding and irreversible, and I believe we can find ways of setting that out, demonstrating that, in the coming months”.
“Obviously I want a deal in February but I have set a deadline for the referendum as the end of 2017, I always wanted to give myself time to get this right”.
Cameron tried to broaden the scope of the welfare package to highlight three further elements.
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Eurosceptics said his reform demands were trivial.
