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| Cameron to meet Merkel, Juncker and Hollande for EU talks | |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| David Cameron will meet key players in Europe for face-to-face talks next week as he tries to build momentum behind his efforts to renegotiate the UK's relationship with the European Union. | |
| The prime minister will host European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker at Chequers on Monday. | |
| He will then travel to Berlin and Paris for talks with Germany's Angela Merkel and France's Francois Hollande. | |
| The PM is seeking a better deal before a referendum on EU membership by 2017. | |
| Mr Cameron met EU leaders for the first time since his election victory at a summit in Latvia on Friday. | |
| He said he was determined to press ahead with reforms to the EU that would give people a "proper choice" on whether to stay in the organisation or to leave. | |
| As he begins to make his case for a different arrangement between the UK and the EU's 27 other members, Mr Cameron said he expected "lots of ups and downs" in the negotiations. | |
| While British officials said the process was at a very early stage, the meetings with Mrs Merkel, regarded as Germany's most powerful leader and Mr Juncker, the most senior official in Brussels, will be seen as key to setting the tone for future discussions. | |
| Speaking in Riga, where EU leaders are discussing relations with Ukraine and other former Soviet states, Mr Cameron said he was conscious of the challenge that lay ahead. | |
| "All I will say is that there will be ups and downs. You will hear one day that 'this is possible'; the next day something is impossible. | "All I will say is that there will be ups and downs. You will hear one day that 'this is possible'; the next day something is impossible. |
| "But one thing through all this will be constant and this is my determination to deliver for the British people a reform of the EU so they get a proper choice in that referendum we will hold before the end of 2017, that will be constant." | "But one thing through all this will be constant and this is my determination to deliver for the British people a reform of the EU so they get a proper choice in that referendum we will hold before the end of 2017, that will be constant." |
| Context of changes | Context of changes |
| Mr Cameron is committed to holding an in/out referendum on Britain's membership of the EU by the end of 2017, but there is speculation it could be held next year to avoid a clash with elections in France and Germany. | Mr Cameron is committed to holding an in/out referendum on Britain's membership of the EU by the end of 2017, but there is speculation it could be held next year to avoid a clash with elections in France and Germany. |
| Legislation paving the way for the UK referendum is expected to be published next Thursday, the day after the Queen opens Parliament. | Legislation paving the way for the UK referendum is expected to be published next Thursday, the day after the Queen opens Parliament. |
| BBC deputy political editor James Landale said Mr Cameron was using the summit, arranged to discuss the EU's relationship with Russia and its neighbours, to sound out other European leaders about what they might be willing to accept before the start of "intricate" negotiations in the coming months. | |
| Other EU leaders, he added, were "scared witless" by the possibility of the UK leaving the EU and were willing to listen and consider a deal, but there were some things - such as changes to freedom of movement rules - which were "sacrosanct". | Other EU leaders, he added, were "scared witless" by the possibility of the UK leaving the EU and were willing to listen and consider a deal, but there were some things - such as changes to freedom of movement rules - which were "sacrosanct". |
| A British official said Friday's talks would be "broad-brush" rather than focusing on specific demands. | A British official said Friday's talks would be "broad-brush" rather than focusing on specific demands. |
| "The focus of these discussions today is to set out the reason why he is doing this, the views of the British people about the EU, the fact that they are not happy with the status quo and what they need to change," they said. | "The focus of these discussions today is to set out the reason why he is doing this, the views of the British people about the EU, the fact that they are not happy with the status quo and what they need to change," they said. |
| Mr Cameron has not revealed the full details of what he is seeking from any changes, but he is expected to demand an opt-out from one its core principles of forging an "ever-closer union" between member states. | Mr Cameron has not revealed the full details of what he is seeking from any changes, but he is expected to demand an opt-out from one its core principles of forging an "ever-closer union" between member states. |
| He will also try to get more powers to block or opt out of new EU laws, and for restrictions on welfare benefits for migrants until they have lived in the UK for four years. | He will also try to get more powers to block or opt out of new EU laws, and for restrictions on welfare benefits for migrants until they have lived in the UK for four years. |
| In a speech on Thursday, the prime minister said welfare changes would be an "absolute requirement in the renegotiation". | In a speech on Thursday, the prime minister said welfare changes would be an "absolute requirement in the renegotiation". |
| EU referendum in focus | EU referendum in focus |
| David Cameron is ready to start renegotiating the terms of Britain's EU membership ahead of a referendum. Here is some further reading on what it all means: | David Cameron is ready to start renegotiating the terms of Britain's EU membership ahead of a referendum. Here is some further reading on what it all means: |
| The UK and the EU: Better off or in or out? | The UK and the EU: Better off or in or out? |
| What Britain wants from Europe | What Britain wants from Europe |
| Q&A: The UK's planned EU referendum | Q&A: The UK's planned EU referendum |
| Timeline: EU referendum debate | Timeline: EU referendum debate |
| Why Germany is David Cameron's new best friend | Why Germany is David Cameron's new best friend |
| Mr Cameron has said he wants the UK to stay in a reformed EU but has so far refused to say whether he would start calling for Britain to leave if he does not get what he wants. | Mr Cameron has said he wants the UK to stay in a reformed EU but has so far refused to say whether he would start calling for Britain to leave if he does not get what he wants. |
| 'Optimistic' | 'Optimistic' |
| Finnish Prime Minister Alexander Stubb said he was "hopeful" a deal could be reached which would be satisfactory to the British people. | Finnish Prime Minister Alexander Stubb said he was "hopeful" a deal could be reached which would be satisfactory to the British people. |
| "Finland is very much in favour of the pro-reform agenda that David Cameron drives. We believe that there are issues that can be discussed with Britain," he said. "There is no point in putting up any barriers at this particular stage and we're all ears." | "Finland is very much in favour of the pro-reform agenda that David Cameron drives. We believe that there are issues that can be discussed with Britain," he said. "There is no point in putting up any barriers at this particular stage and we're all ears." |
| Ireland's Europe Minister Dara Murphy said he was "optimistic" the UK would remain within the EU. | Ireland's Europe Minister Dara Murphy said he was "optimistic" the UK would remain within the EU. |
| "Much of what has been suggested and proposed to date by David Cameron would be to the advantage of all of the people of the European Union, particularly in the space of regulation," he said. | "Much of what has been suggested and proposed to date by David Cameron would be to the advantage of all of the people of the European Union, particularly in the space of regulation," he said. |
| But Estonian prime minister Taavi Roivas warned he would oppose any attempt to roll back the free movement of labour in the EU. | But Estonian prime minister Taavi Roivas warned he would oppose any attempt to roll back the free movement of labour in the EU. |
| "I wouldn't scroll back the basic freedoms but saying no to all ideas of change would be wrong as well." | "I wouldn't scroll back the basic freedoms but saying no to all ideas of change would be wrong as well." |
| This week, a number of UK business leaders started to highlight the potential implications of the referendum, with the president of the CBI said businesses should "speak out early" in favour of remaining in a reformed EU, | This week, a number of UK business leaders started to highlight the potential implications of the referendum, with the president of the CBI said businesses should "speak out early" in favour of remaining in a reformed EU, |
| The Labour Party, SNP, Plaid Cymru and the Lib Dems are in favour of staying in the EU. UKIP, which got almost four million votes but only one MP in the election, want to leave. | The Labour Party, SNP, Plaid Cymru and the Lib Dems are in favour of staying in the EU. UKIP, which got almost four million votes but only one MP in the election, want to leave. |