Brussels, 26/05/2015 (Agence Europe) - On Monday 25 May, UK Prime Minister David Cameron began a “campaign”, or perhaps a trial of strength, among his European counterparts, to discuss the renegotiation of the United Kingdom's membership of the European Union and the referendum he is hoping to organise on the subject in 2017.
On Monday, Cameron welcomed the President of the European Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker, to Chequers. According to a Downing Street press release, British prime minister informed Juncker that the British people no longer wanted the status quo and were calling for changes to the way the European Union operated so that it corresponded more to what they wanted. Juncker repeated his proposal for a “fair deal” (see EUROPE 11311) and the two men agreed that further discussions would be necessary, particularly with other European leaders.
When asked about this meeting, the European Commission spokesperson, Margaritis Schinas, had nothing further to add and would only say that it was now up to the UK to address its specific demands so that negotiations were able to start.
On Wednesday 27 May, the Queen's Speech ushering in the new British government elected at the start of the month will include the draft law on the British referendum. European citizens living in the United Kingdom will be excluded from voting.
Although he will be arguing in favour of his country remaining in the EU, Cameron did not rule out on Friday 22 May in Riga, that the UK could leave if it failed to obtain the reforms it is demanding. The British prime minister wants to focus on eurozone integration, restricting social benefits to European migrants working in the United Kingdom and more influence for the national parliaments on European legislation.
On Thursday 28 May, Cameron will meet Danish Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte and French President François Hollande. The following day, he will also discuss matters with Polish Prime Minister Ewa Kopacz and German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Berlin. Discussions were already launched in Riga last week on the sidelines of the Eastern Partnership Summit (see EUROPE 11320). The discussions are expected to conclude at the end of June during the European summit, with a raft of British proposals that will allow Cameron's expectations to be assessed in full.
The Bank of England (BoE) is already examining possible scenarios involving the United Kingdom leaving the EU (Brexit) and the repercussions for the country. The German Deutsche Bank also confirmed in the middle of the month that it was doing likewise. (Solenn Paulic)