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| David Cameron makes 'some progress' but summit on EU reform plans drags on | David Cameron makes 'some progress' but summit on EU reform plans drags on |
| (7 months later) | |
| David Cameron has said that progress was made on his EU reform plans but talks have fallen short of producing a deal with fellow European leaders. | David Cameron has said that progress was made on his EU reform plans but talks have fallen short of producing a deal with fellow European leaders. |
| As he returned to the Brussels summit just before 11am local time (1000 GMT) after three hours’ sleep, the UK prime minister promised to “do everything I can” to secure a deal. | As he returned to the Brussels summit just before 11am local time (1000 GMT) after three hours’ sleep, the UK prime minister promised to “do everything I can” to secure a deal. |
| “I was here until 5am this morning working through this,” he said on Friday. “We’ve made some progress but there is still no deal and as I have said I’d only do a deal if we get what Britain needs, so we are going to get back in there, we are going to do some more work and I’ll do everything I can.” | “I was here until 5am this morning working through this,” he said on Friday. “We’ve made some progress but there is still no deal and as I have said I’d only do a deal if we get what Britain needs, so we are going to get back in there, we are going to do some more work and I’ll do everything I can.” |
| Cameron met Donald Tusk, the European council president, shortly before midday to assess the progress made overnight. Tusk held a series of bilateral talks with EU leaders through the night to try to iron out differences. His chief of staff, Piotr Serafin, also had a series of “confessionals” with officials from the member states. | Cameron met Donald Tusk, the European council president, shortly before midday to assess the progress made overnight. Tusk held a series of bilateral talks with EU leaders through the night to try to iron out differences. His chief of staff, Piotr Serafin, also had a series of “confessionals” with officials from the member states. |
| A Tusk aide said: “We think we have possible solutions to all outstanding issues, but we need to test them.” | A Tusk aide said: “We think we have possible solutions to all outstanding issues, but we need to test them.” |
| Cameron demanded the emergency brake on in-work benefits for EU migrant workers in the UK be applicable for a period of 13 years. However, eastern European countries want the period to be no longer than five years, while Jean-Claude Juncker, the European commission president, suggested a compromise of seven years. | Cameron demanded the emergency brake on in-work benefits for EU migrant workers in the UK be applicable for a period of 13 years. However, eastern European countries want the period to be no longer than five years, while Jean-Claude Juncker, the European commission president, suggested a compromise of seven years. |
| The UK’s demand is also for seven years, but for it to be extendable by two three-year stretches. According to sources in the negotiations, no one actually believes the emergency brake would ever be extended, so seven years could be the likely compromise. | The UK’s demand is also for seven years, but for it to be extendable by two three-year stretches. According to sources in the negotiations, no one actually believes the emergency brake would ever be extended, so seven years could be the likely compromise. |
| 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. | 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. | 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. |
| Downing Street said the talks were in a “hinterland”: “There could be a deal today or maybe there won’t be one,” a No 10 source said. In the event of a late deal the prime minister is prepared to hold a cabinet meeting on Friday evening or on Saturday. | Downing Street said the talks were in a “hinterland”: “There could be a deal today or maybe there won’t be one,” a No 10 source said. 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. | Tusk has said the summit could last until Sunday, although this was being discounted by British officials. |
| Downing Street believes if Tusk calls for the resumption of the European council, this will indicate that a deal is in sight. At that point two issues will remain, barring a surprise late intervention from an unexpected member state. The two issues will be to clarify the declaration that the deal would be legally binding in international law and the exact wording of the council conclusions that will also cover Syria and the migration crisis. | Downing Street believes if Tusk calls for the resumption of the European council, this will indicate that a deal is in sight. At that point two issues will remain, barring a surprise late intervention from an unexpected member state. The two issues will be to clarify the declaration that the deal would be legally binding in international law and the exact wording of the council conclusions that will also cover Syria and the migration crisis. |
| All 28 leaders are due to resume their summit at 1.30pm CET [1230 GMT] in a meeting being dubbed the “English lunch”. This was a play on the “English breakfast” meeting which was meant to have concluded the new settlement for the UK that was meant to have taken place early on Friday. | All 28 leaders are due to resume their summit at 1.30pm CET [1230 GMT] in a meeting being dubbed the “English lunch”. This was a play on the “English breakfast” meeting which was meant to have concluded the new settlement for the UK that was meant to have taken place early on Friday. |
| François Hollande, the French president, made clear that France has problems with Britain’s demands that non-eurozone countries should be given protections against eurozone countries in the rules of the single market. Paris fears that the UK is seeking to carve out privileges for the City of London. | François Hollande, the French president, made clear that France has problems with Britain’s demands that non-eurozone countries should be given protections against eurozone countries in the rules of the single market. Paris fears that the UK is seeking to carve out privileges for the City of London. |
| Hollande said: “We will still work this morning as there were some proposals overnight which have been changed between the ones and the others. Notably, as regards France, the desire to have a financial regulation which is applicable to all centres in Europe and that there won’t be a right to veto or block the fight against speculation and financial crisis everywhere and with the same agencies. That’s where we are now. We are waiting for Britain’s response. We have made our proposals.” | Hollande said: “We will still work this morning as there were some proposals overnight which have been changed between the ones and the others. Notably, as regards France, the desire to have a financial regulation which is applicable to all centres in Europe and that there won’t be a right to veto or block the fight against speculation and financial crisis everywhere and with the same agencies. That’s where we are now. We are waiting for Britain’s response. We have made our proposals.” |
| British sources said gaps had narrowed on the outstanding issues but none has yet been sorted. They are: | British sources said gaps had narrowed on the outstanding issues but none has yet been sorted. They are: |