Brussels, 05/02/2016 (Agence Europe) - The British prime minister, David Cameron, has accepted the European Parliament's invitation to add EP representatives on Tuesday 16 February, two days ahead of a crucial European Summit for the UK's membership of the EU, tweeted 10 Downing Street on Monday 4 February.
Invited by the president of the European Parliament, Martin Schulz, on the initiative of Guy Verhofstadt, head of the ALDE group at the EP, the Conservative leader would only agree to discussions with the presidents of the EP's political groupings behind closed doors in a conference of presidents of the EP-type meeting.
In a speech to the London School of Economics on Friday 5 February, Martin Schulz expressed concern about the draft agreement unveiled by the president of the European Council, Donald Tusk, on 2 February (see EUROPE 11481). The proposed agreement includes restrictions on access for immigrant EU workers arriving in the UK to work-related social security benefits and an emergency brake on decisions taken by euro nations about integration and economic governance.
On the latter point, the EP president said that the euro was the only EU currency and since the Treaty guarantees an opt-out for the UK, not much clarification would be needed. But Cameron has asked for the preamble to the treaty to refer to the coexistence of a number of currencies in the EU. The EP feels it is unacceptable to give a country the right to veto decisions about the euro, said Schulz.
On the question of the free circulation of EU workers, Schulz said that existing abuse of and potential pressure on social security systems needed to be rectified, while avoiding any discrimination between European citizens, but the safeguard would directly discriminate against citizens from other member states in favour of British passport-holders. Schulz asked whether this was the type of European Union people wanted to live in.
The question of immigrant workers is of particular concern to Poland, and David Cameron went to Warsaw on Friday 5 February to try to reassure the Polish leaders. More than 700,000 Poles are already established in the United Kingdom and it is feared that the new measures would negatively affect them. Polish foreign minister Witold Waszczykowski said after the announcement of a compromise negotiated with Brussels that the proposals would not apply to Poles already in the UK.
The Polish prime minister, Beata Szydlo, said on Friday after a meeting with Cameron that Poland could go along with some aspects of the renegotiation of the UK's relations with Europe but further talks were needed on free circulation. Szydlo said the country backed the UK's ideas on competitiveness and national sovereignty.
Passing through Copenhagen, where he had a meeting with the Danish prime minister, Lars Rasmussen, David Cameron said that the reform proposals unveiled by Donald Tusk covered the question of benefit payments to European citizens whose children live in another member state. “For example, I know we've just heard that in Denmark you have concerns about paying child benefit for children not living here. And that's why the reforms I'm seeking can benefit other countries too”, Cameron said, adding: “I've now secured a commitment from the Commission to address this”.
Sherpa meeting
The plans unveiled by Donald Tusk on 2 February were discussed for the first time by the sherpas in Brussels on 5 February. The meeting was due to last until the afternoon and clarify technical and legal aspects of the proposals submitted to David Cameron so that initial political talks can take place.
The meeting comes as a poll published in the UK on 5 February revealed that the majority of British citizens are in favour of a Brexit (leaving the EU), with 45% of the 1, 675 people polled saying they were in favour of a Brexit and 36% wanting to remain in the EU. Some 17% hadn't made up their minds and 2% wouldn't bother voting. (Original version in French by Solenn Paulic)