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EU summit: Schulz hopes negotiations on UK deal will end 'today' – live EU summit: Schulz hopes negotiations on UK deal will end 'today' – live
(35 minutes later)
1.09pm GMT
13:09
Crunch time. David Cameron is been holding talks with Poland’s prime minister Beata Szydło.
PM @BeataSzydlo & @David_Cameron at #EUCO on #UKinEU pic.twitter.com/Thx8P2K5kT
Consensus will not be reached unless the hundreds of thousands of Poles already living in the UK are allowed to retain their access to in-work benefits and child benefit, a foreign policy advisor to the Polish president told the Guardian’s Patrick Wintour on Thursday.
Krzysztof Szczerski said Warsaw would block any move to hit the benefits of up to 600,000 Poles resident in Britain. “We cannot accept retrospective legislation,” he said. “Those that are in the system and part of the system cannot have their rights taken away.”
Poland has accepted the principle of a minimum four-year emergency brake on in work benefits, but their refusal to accept a cut in benefits that applies to Poles already working in the UK shows how tough negotiations have been and how a deal might have a limited impact on migration.
Szczerski said his government, led by the rightwing Law and Justice party, was prepared to accept that new Polish child benefit claimants working in the UK should not be able to claim benefits at UK rates for its children still in Poland, as long as issues of indexation were resolved.
The talks in Brussels may well focus on whether the so-called British emergency brake temporarily depriving EU migrants of access to in-work benefits is seen as an effective way of controlling migration in to the UK.
1.07pm GMT
13:07
It’s the inter-linking of issues that negotiators in Brussels would not want - more on that reported threat of a Greek veto:
Brexit meet Grexit: Greece wants EU open-border pledge till March or will block UK accord - AFP in Athens quoting govt source
Faisal Islam of Sky News also reports that ‘senior sources’ in the Greek government confirmed that a threat to veto the negotiations was made, although Athens does not have a problem ‘pers se’ with the British proposals.
Updated
at 1.07pm GMT
1.02pm GMT
13:02
The chances of UK voters opting to remain in the European Union in a referendum are at 67%, according to a betting barometer being run by Ladbrokes, which is based on live odds.
It’s a slight rise towards that outcome from a few days ago.
12.59pm GMT
12:59
The lawyers are still at it, EU Commission spokesman Margaritis Schinas assures us.
Sleepless @EU_Commission lawyers still going strong in our #EUCO engine room. #UKinEU pic.twitter.com/sc8MXvCsYm
12.56pm GMT
12:56
Eurosceptic MEP Danniel Hannan has seized on that comment by Lithuania’s president about a “facing saving” deal.
Other EU leaders are openly laughing at the idea that the changes are other than cosmetic. #EUCO @vote_leave https://t.co/SprcHtoCXc
12.55pm GMT
12:55
Coming to a television screen near you soon no doubt: UKIP leader Nigel Farage’s new tie (do not adjust your sets)
Breaking fashion news (as we wait for real news) : Just interviewed Nigel Farage who wore new Grassroots Out tie. pic.twitter.com/EfiJg0WUqt
12.51pm GMT
12:51
Henry McDonald
Irish ministers have joined business leaders from both sides of the Irish Sea to plead for a deal to keep Britain in the EU, writes Henry McDonald.
Paschal Donohoe, the Republic’s Minister for Transport, Sport and Tourism, told a gathering at the British Irish Chamber of Commerce that “it is undoubtedly in the interests of Ireland, and of the European Union as a whole, that the UK should remain in the Union and contributing to that outcome is the government’s overall objective in these (Brussels) negotiations.”
Meanwhile the President of the British Irish Chamber of Commerce warned those attending the Intercontinental Hotel one day conference about the economic impact on Ireland of Brexit.
Paul Drechsler CBE, said: “When the UK sneezes, Ireland catches a cold. And it’s not hard to see why. Trade between Britain and Ireland stands at 1 billion euros a week - accounting for 30% of imports into Ireland. Ireland is the UK’s largest market for food and drink and our second for clothing, fashion, footwear. “
Dreschsler warned that post-Brexit trade between Ireland and Britain could be reduced by 20% or more.
12.47pm GMT
12:47
European parliament president Martin Schulz says he believes there will be a conclusion today.
Updated
at 12.47pm GMT
12.44pm GMT
12:44
Czech leader Bohuslav Sobotka, the key player in the Visegrád Four, is now holding talks with German Chancellor Angela Merkel.
Bilaterální jednání pokračují, s A. Merkelovou kromě dohody s V. Británií tentokrát i téma migrace. pic.twitter.com/VborbXwaay
12.38pm GMT
12:38
Lithuania’s president, Dalia Grybauskaitè, appears resigned to a “face saving” deal, tweeting that it will be up to the British public to decide in the referendum.
Whatever face saving and face lifting exercise we do @EUCO - decision belongs to British people #UKinEU
12.35pm GMT
12:35
So what is the background to Greek concerns? As we reported yesterday, the leaders of four anti-immigration eastern European countries met in Prague on Monday and demanded alternative EU policies by next month.
Crucially, their plan amounts to exporting Hungary’s zero-immigration razor-wire model to the Balkans, sealing Macedonia’s border with northern Greece, and bottling up the vast numbers of refugees in Greece unless they are deported back to Turkey.
Read more here:
Related: European states deeply divided on refugee crisis before key summit
Updated
at 12.38pm GMT
12.32pm GMT12.32pm GMT
12:3212:32
He’s been a relatively peripheral figure so far overall in at these talks (in contrast to many other) but could Greece’s Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras be about to start playing a more assertive role?He’s been a relatively peripheral figure so far overall in at these talks (in contrast to many other) but could Greece’s Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras be about to start playing a more assertive role?
It get worse... Greek PM Tsipras says he'll veto all Cameron's work without commitment there'll be no closure of Greece's northern borderIt get worse... Greek PM Tsipras says he'll veto all Cameron's work without commitment there'll be no closure of Greece's northern border
12.31pm GMT12.31pm GMT
12:3112:31
MPs, like the rest of us, our waiting for news of a deal.MPs, like the rest of us, our waiting for news of a deal.
12.24pm GMT12.24pm GMT
12:2412:24
Nicholas WattNicholas Watt
Downing Street sources say David Cameron is about to have a meeting with the Polish prime minister Beata Szydlo who has voiced concerns about UK demands for restrictions on in-work benefits and child benefit.Downing Street sources say David Cameron is about to have a meeting with the Polish prime minister Beata Szydlo who has voiced concerns about UK demands for restrictions on in-work benefits and child benefit.
UpdatedUpdated
at 12.30pm GMTat 12.30pm GMT
12.22pm GMT12.22pm GMT
12:2212:22
He told us so? The Guardian’s Berlin bureau chief, Philip Oltermann, wondered a year ago if David Cameron would pay the price for trying to negotiate with Germany over Eastern Europe’s head.He told us so? The Guardian’s Berlin bureau chief, Philip Oltermann, wondered a year ago if David Cameron would pay the price for trying to negotiate with Germany over Eastern Europe’s head.
If Britain really wants to have a serious conversation about immigration with the rest of the EU – as now every party insists it does – it needs to start talkingto the countries it has spent a year talking about.If Britain really wants to have a serious conversation about immigration with the rest of the EU – as now every party insists it does – it needs to start talkingto the countries it has spent a year talking about.
With a Polish president of the European council, and commission vice-presidents from Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia and Slovenia, politicians from the former eastern bloc are an increasingly powerful voice in Brussels.With a Polish president of the European council, and commission vice-presidents from Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia and Slovenia, politicians from the former eastern bloc are an increasingly powerful voice in Brussels.
Has Cameron been paying the price in the last 48 hours?Has Cameron been paying the price in the last 48 hours?
12.06pm GMT
12:06
Ben Quinn
A new poll suggests that 36 percent of Britons would vote to leave the European Union, with 34 percent in favour of staying.
It’s a figure that won’t please David Cameron as he continues to negotiate in Brussels. But it’s also worth keeping in mind that telephone polls have tended to suggest support is higher for staying in the EU than those, like this one from TNS, which are based on online responses.
The poll of more than 1,000 people, carried out between February 11 and 15, also found that 23 percent are still undecided.
When respondents were asked what they thought the result of the referendum would be, 38 percent said they thought the UK would remain in the EU against 28 percent who believed that there would be a withdrawal.
As with other research, the poll found that support for staying in was at its highest among the young. Nearly half of 18 to 24-year-olds want the UK to remain. By contrast, 46 percent of those aged over 55 wanted to leave.
Scottish voters, again, were also more likely to want to remain, with 45 percent wanting the UK to stay in the union.
Updated
at 12.07pm GMT
12.01pm GMT
12:01
English lunch delayed
The “English Lunch” has been put back till 2.30pm (CET) 1.30pm (GMT) as bilateral talks continue.
Donald Tusk’s spokesman Preben Aamann announced the changing timetable.
"English lunch" now scheduled for 14h30. Tusk @eucopresident & @JunckerEU continue second round of bilateral consultations on #UKinEU
Updated
at 12.02pm GMT
11.53am GMT
11:53
The Visegrad-4 of Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, and Czech Republic are still troubled by Britain’s plans to restrict child benefit to EU migrants, Jennifer Rankin reports.
#Visegrad four v unhappy with child benefit proposals: ' we thought it was UK, now many other countries want to do the same'. #EUCO
#V4 coordination meeting before 2day of #EUCO on #UKinEU pic.twitter.com/J8QmzA7nXl
European Council President Donald Tusk has been holding talks with Czech leader Bohuslav Sobotka in an attempt to allay those concerns.
Tusk meeting Visegrad chair Czech leader Sobotka -there will be a series of bilaterals before a new plenary. Tusk/ Juncker testing solutions
11.41am GMT
11:41
Ian Traynor
Ian Traynor has more on emergency brake haggling:
While Cameron demanded a 13-year period for applying the four-year emergency brake on in-work benefits for EU migrant workers in the UK and the east European countries would allow no longer than five years, Jean-Claude Juncker, the president of the European Commission suggested a duration of seven years.
The UK demand was also for seven years but then extendable by two three-year stretches. According to sources in the negotiations, no one actually believes that the emergency brake will ever be extended, so seven years could be the outcome.
Britain and eastern Europe are also sharply at odds over new rules indexing child benefit payments for EU migrants in the UK and elsewhere in western Europe. Britain insists that the new rules apply to all EU migrant workers in the UK, while the east Europeans argue it can only be used for new cases.
The compromise being suggested here, according to negotiating sources, is for a transition period of several years before all EU migrant workers have the benefits indexed. This is to apply only where the migrants’ offspring have been left at home.
11.38am GMT
11:38
Alberto Nardelli
France is not alone in concerns that the UK is seeking to carve out from EU-wide regulations special protections and veto powers for the City of London, writes Alberto Nardelli.
Although President François Hollande has been the most vocal of the EU leaders about this issue the Guardian understands from sources close to the negotiations that the French position is also backed by Germany, Italy, Belgium and Luxembourg.
At a press conference on Thursday, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said that Britain’s concerns were legitimate but she stressed the need for a level playing field in the internal market - including the financial markets.
11.30am GMT
11:30
European Parliament President Martin Schulz said he had the impression that “the different positions are moving towards one another” and hoped that negotiations would come to an end today.
But he made clear that the topics on the table in Brussels would be subject to “intensive” consideration by MPs at the European Parliament.
Schulz said he wanted the UK to remain in the EU, but added: “We must make clear that the method ‘I will tell you what you must do in order for me to stay’ doesn’t work. We have to reach out to one another. I have the impression that David Cameron sees that.”
Jennifer Rankin in Brussels has the latest on the haggling about the timing of Britain’s proposals to freeze in-work benefits.
Rest of EU favourable on 7-yr freeze on in-work benefits, same as transitional controls on free movement. UK opening bid was 13, Visegrad 5.
Schulz’s Twitter feed said he had a “very constructive” meeting with Matteo Renzi and Jean-Claude Juncker.
Good to host @JunckerEU & @matteorenzi at EP premises in #EUCO. Very constructive meeting pic.twitter.com/MUDEFWGcyU
Updated
at 11.34am GMT
11.22am GMT
11:22
Downing Street sources told the Guardian’s Nicholas Watt, that they are in a “hinterland” where there could be a deal on Friday but there may not be one. “There could be a deal today or maybe there won’t one,” one No 10 source said. “We are in a hinterland.”
In the event of a late deal the prime minister is prepared to hold a cabinet meeting on Friday evening or on Saturday. Tusk has said the summit could last until Sunday although this was being discounted by British officials.
One official told PA that discussions on French concerns about financial regulation as “significant”.
But he added: “Nothing is agreed until everything is agreed.
“We are still here, we are still talking, so in that sense we are moving forwards. Is there a specific deal on a specific area? No.”
Cameron was ready to keep talking into the evening if necessary, and could still call a special Cabinet meeting in the evening if a deal was reached, said officials.
Asked how the UK responded to a suggestion from Tusk that the Council summit may have to be extended to Sunday to secure agreement, British officials said: “What matters is that we get the right deal, it doesn’t matter how long it takes.”
UK officials denied they were disappointed with the pace of progress, insisting: “We always thought this was going to be really tough.”
Tusk is expected to conclude one-on-one talks with national leaders by early afternoon, at which point he will assess whether he has a text worth putting before them for discussion between all 28.
11.15am GMT
11:15
Cameron: 'we're happy to stay till Sunday'
Cameron says the talks could last till Sunday, according to the BBC’s Katya Adler in Brussels.
In aside to press, Cameron says: We're happy to stay till Sunday. I've told the wife and children #EUCO
More timetable updates from Jennifer Rankin in Brussels.
David Cameron is meeting Donald Tusk for bilateral talks, then Matteo Renzi, before full #EUCO discussion at 1.30.
Donald Tusk has apparently said he is ready to stay until Sunday, although EU sources still hopeful of a teatime deal #EUCO
11.09am GMT
11:09
Deal or no deal: what does Cameron want from the EU? This video explains ...
11.06am GMT
11:06
Austrian Chancellor Werner Faymann confirmed that financial regulation remains a key sticking point.
The pro-EU thinktank Open Europe quoted him saying: “We want to reach an agreement with Britain but we cannot concede blockage of banking union or Eurozone integration.”
Faymann on #Brexit: We want to reach an agreement with Britain but we cannot concede blockage of banking union or Eurozone integration #EUCO
Earlier French President François Hollande made clear that France continues to resist a deal on financial regulation which would deliver one rule for eurozone states and another for those which do not use the single currency.
The French leader told reporters that he wanted “a financial regulation system which is valid in all parts of Europe, and that there should be no right of veto or prevention”.
Hollande said France wanted to ensure that Europe would be able to “fight against speculation and fight against financial crises in the same way and with the same organisations everywhere”.