European Council President Donald Tusk said early on Friday (December 18) morning that he was more optimistic of finding a compromise with Prime Minister David Cameron in February after a summit dinner on Thursday discussing British demands for reform of the European Union.
“We had a substantive and constructive discussion over dinner. I didn’t want to sound too dramatic before the meeting, but I do believe that tonight was a make-or-break moment. Prime Minister Cameron set out in detail his position, in particular regarding benefits and free movement. He explained his request for a model based on four years and reiterated an openness to alternative solutions only if they could achieve the same objective. Leaders voiced their concerns but also demonstrated willingness to look for compromises. Building on this positive debate, we agreed to work together to find solutions in all four baskets raised by Prime Minister Cameron. Hard work on all baskets is still ahead of us,” Tusk said, adding that “the social benefits issue” was “the most delicate, the most difficult” for some member states in the bloc.
But European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said at the same news conference that it was “an illusion” that some of Cameron’s demands were easy compared to the benefits question.
“There are four difficult questions and each conceals other questions which we have to get back to between now and February,” Juncker said.
In his longest address in more than five years attending European Councils, Cameron told the 27 other national leaders over dinner that if they wanted to keep Britain in the EU at a referendum he has promised to hold within two years, they must address British voters’ concerns about immigration.
But despite some warm words of encouragement from European leaders, his push to curb welfare payments to migrants from the bloc was challenged by some for potentially breaking EU principles of non-discrimination and free movement of people.
But for Tusk, it was a “misunderstanding” to suggest that Cameron “is ready to force some solutions for discrimination”.
“No, it’s also for him totally unacceptable,” he told journalists.
Cameron says he wants Britain to stay in the EU, but has hinted he could campaign for an exit if he fails to win an agreement that can reduce the influx of EU migrants, improve business competitiveness, give more sovereignty back to Britain and protect London’s banks from discrimination by the euro zone. (Reuters)
