Brussels, 25/06/2015 (Agence Europe) - When he arrived at the European Council on Thursday 25 June, the British Prime Minister, David Cameron, did not waste any time in applying pressure on the conditions imposed by the United Kingdom on its continued membership of the European Union (see EUROPE 11342).
At this stage, the European Council draft conclusions simply indicate that the British Prime Minister set out his plans for an (in/out) referendum in the UK and that the European Council agreed to revert to the matter in December. Nonetheless, Cameron appeared to want results at this meeting on reforms that need to be carried out to reassure the British people. When he arrived at the summit on Thursday, Cameron stated: “Today marks a significant milestone really in the process of saying this is right for UK to have this negotiation and this referendum to address the concerns that the British people have about Europe and to make sure the British people have the final say about whether we stay in and reform the European Union, or leave”.
Tusk says EU values are non-negotiable
At the opening of the summit, the President of the European Council thought it necessary to take into account both British concerns and fundamental European values, such as free movement. Tusk stated: “Our colleague Prime Minister Cameron will share with us his referendum plans. There are some British concerns we should consider, but only in a way which will be safe for all Europe. Today we will only start this process. However one thing should be clear from the very beginning: the fundamental values of the European Union are not for sale and so are non-negotiable”.
The President of the European Council met Cameron before the beginning of the Summit and is expected to be the individual providing an interface within the Council. The European Commission will be setting up a specific internal unit that will be headed by Jonathan Faull, from the United Kingdom, who is currently Director-General for the Internal Market.
When asked about the British question, the Belgian Prime Minister, Charles Michel, said that he supported modernising the way the European Union worked and stepping up the fight against red tape. He also explained that “to achieve this, Belgium will be a positive and supportive partner. If, on the other hand, this means purely and simply dismantling the European integration process and pushing back the eurozone, then Belgium will not agree”. (Lionel Changeur, with MB and SP)