Brussels, 21/01/2013 (Agence Europe) - British Prime Minister David Cameron is due to give his speech on Europe in London on Wednesday morning, 23 January. This is a much awaited speech on the future of the United Kingdom's relationship with the European Union - a speech which was postponed due to the hostage-taking in Algeria.
Before the postponement, the speech of the Conservative prime minister was due to have been given to a gathering of diplomats and business people in Amsterdam last Friday (see EUROPE 10767).
On Wednesday Cameron will make his speech on the European Union and then will reply to questions from MPs. In extracts of his speech that have already been made public by Downing Street, Cameron says that there are three challenges for the EU - the eurozone crisis, the lack of competitiveness in the face of competition from emerging countries, and the gap between the European Union and its citizens. “If we don't address these challenges, the danger is that Europe will fail and the British people will drift towards the exit”, warns Cameron. “I do not want that to happen. I want the European Union to be a success and I want a relationship between Britain and the EU that keeps us in it”, Cameron will say. (LC/transl.fl)