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| EU summit set to confirm Juncker as commission president | EU summit set to confirm Juncker as commission president |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| EU leaders meeting in Brussels are expected to confirm former Luxembourg PM Jean-Claude Juncker as the next president of the European Commission. | EU leaders meeting in Brussels are expected to confirm former Luxembourg PM Jean-Claude Juncker as the next president of the European Commission. |
| The move comes despite strong opposition from Britain. | The move comes despite strong opposition from Britain. |
| UK Prime Minister David Cameron believes Mr Juncker is too much in favour of closer political union and might block EU reform. | UK Prime Minister David Cameron believes Mr Juncker is too much in favour of closer political union and might block EU reform. |
| Mr Cameron is expected to seek an unprecedented vote on the appointment, which is usually made by consensus. | Mr Cameron is expected to seek an unprecedented vote on the appointment, which is usually made by consensus. |
| However, correspondents say other leaders are likely to ignore his concerns. | However, correspondents say other leaders are likely to ignore his concerns. |
| Mr Cameron's bid to block Mr Juncker suffered a major setback this week when his allies changed tack. | Mr Cameron's bid to block Mr Juncker suffered a major setback this week when his allies changed tack. |
| German Chancellor Angela Merkel had given Mr Cameron hope after agreeing to a vote on the issue if there was no consensus. | German Chancellor Angela Merkel had given Mr Cameron hope after agreeing to a vote on the issue if there was no consensus. |
| But both the Netherlands and Sweden have since said they will back Mr Juncker. | But both the Netherlands and Sweden have since said they will back Mr Juncker. |
| Jean-Claude Juncker: A man for Europe? | |
| Arguments for and against Juncker | |
| In the past such sensitive appointments have been decided through informal negotiations in the European Council. | In the past such sensitive appointments have been decided through informal negotiations in the European Council. |
| With Hungary now Mr Cameron's only supporter, analysts say Mr Juncker is likely to be overwhelmingly backed, even if it does go to a vote. | With Hungary now Mr Cameron's only supporter, analysts say Mr Juncker is likely to be overwhelmingly backed, even if it does go to a vote. |
| Mr Juncker is the choice of the centre-right European People's Party, which won the largest number of seats in the European Parliament. | Mr Juncker is the choice of the centre-right European People's Party, which won the largest number of seats in the European Parliament. |
| Nevertheless, ahead of Friday's talks, Mr Cameron vowed to "insist" on a vote if Mr Juncker's name is tabled, so that EU leaders are forced to justify their support for the veteran politician in public. | Nevertheless, ahead of Friday's talks, Mr Cameron vowed to "insist" on a vote if Mr Juncker's name is tabled, so that EU leaders are forced to justify their support for the veteran politician in public. |
| He says he is determined to press ahead with renegotiation of Britain's EU membership, followed by an in/out referendum in the UK in 2017, if his Conservative Party wins next year's general election. | He says he is determined to press ahead with renegotiation of Britain's EU membership, followed by an in/out referendum in the UK in 2017, if his Conservative Party wins next year's general election. |
| "We will have to see what actually happens, but it is the opening step in a longer campaign to secure change in Europe, a better position for Britain in Europe, and a referendum that will be held before the end of 2017," he said. | "We will have to see what actually happens, but it is the opening step in a longer campaign to secure change in Europe, a better position for Britain in Europe, and a referendum that will be held before the end of 2017," he said. |
| The row comes a month after anti-EU parties made sweeping gains in European elections. | The row comes a month after anti-EU parties made sweeping gains in European elections. |
| The summit is also poised to sign far-reaching trade partnership deals with three former Soviet republics - Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova. | The summit is also poised to sign far-reaching trade partnership deals with three former Soviet republics - Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova. |
| The "association agreements" commit the countries to EU standards, including new customs regulations, quality controls and free market competition. | The "association agreements" commit the countries to EU standards, including new customs regulations, quality controls and free market competition. |
| Russia is suspicious of these agreements and is trying to draw ex-Soviet republics into its own customs union. A senior aide to Russian President Vladimir Putin told the BBC the deal was in breach of the Ukrainian constitution. | |
| "What [Ukrainian President Petro] Poroshenko is doing is illegitimate thing," Sergei Glazyev said. | |
| On the first day of the summit on Thursday, prime ministers and presidents of the 28 EU states set aside their differences to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the outbreak of World War One in a ceremony at Ypres, Belgium. | On the first day of the summit on Thursday, prime ministers and presidents of the 28 EU states set aside their differences to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the outbreak of World War One in a ceremony at Ypres, Belgium. |
| Next steps | |
| 27 June - European Council expected to nominate Mr Juncker | |
| 1-3 July - First post-election session of new European Parliament | |
| 14-17 July - European Parliament votes on nominee for Commission president - expected to back Mr Juncker | |
| September - Parliament grills each nominee for 28-member Commission (one from each member state) | |
| October - Parliament votes on new Commission team | |
| November - New Commission should take office, as should new EU foreign policy chief and new European Council president. |