Brussels, 29/01/2016 (Agence Europe) - On Friday 29 January, the president of the European Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker, met with the British prime minister, David Cameron, in Brussels for talks described by a European source as “difficult but constructive.” The meeting lasted around two hours and aimed to iron out one of the most controversial issues relating to the renegotiating of the UK's relations with the EU, namely the free circulation of individuals and social security rights for European immigrants.
After the meeting, Cameron said that the proposals on the table didn't go far enough but progress was being made, tweeted British media. The above-mentioned European source said that talks would continue over the weekend and are expected to culminate on Sunday evening (31 January) in a meeting in London between David Cameron and Donald Tusk, president of the European Council, who has been given the task of drafting an agreement to be presented to the British premier at the beginning of next week.
Several media, including Reuters, say that Juncker will suggest to Cameron to return to the 'emergency brake' mechanism for social security benefits for EU immigrant workers. The official European Commission spokespersons refused on Friday afternoon to confirm this, explaining that the Commission's role was to act as a facilitator with the aim of reaching a satisfactory solution for all sides.
The emergency brake clause was discussed informally at the 17 and 18 December European Summit, but the Commission refused on Friday to describe it. It might allow a member state whose social security system is under pressure, jeopardising its equilibrium and financing, to put a brake on the arrival of new immigrants, explains a number of media, including Reuters. British media said this could allow the UK to halt benefits for EU immigrants for up to four years.
The Lisbon Treaty mentions the option of a 'braking mechanism' for penal policy and coordination of social security systems, such that a member state can take a draft law that could damage the fundamentals of its equilibrium to the European Council. The British media say that any proposed emergency clause would have to be adopted by the majority of the member states and would not be based on a European Commission decision.
In an interview with BBC Radio before arriving in Brussels, the British prime minister, David Cameron, said that Brussels' responses to his demands were encouraging but not yet sufficient. He said interesting ideas were coming his way but they didn't yet go far enough. On Friday afternoon, Cameron met the president of the European Parliament, Martin Schulz.
The option of an 'emergency clause' was criticised by Polish foreign minister Witold Waszczykowski, who said that Poland wouldn't agree to any solutions that translated into discrimination against Poles living in other member states. (Original version in French by Solenn Paulic)