David Cameron has been warned by a senior French minister against any attempt to keep the positive aspects of the EU without sharing the risks, before he heads to a crucial European council meeting to seek support for his reforms.
Emmanuel Macron, the French economy minister, told the BBC that the UK could not be allowed a “Europe a la carte” – a phrase used by those sceptical about Cameron’s efforts to negotiate a new deal for the UK.
“I don’t understand how it is possible to say, ‘We the UK have all the positive aspects of Europe but don’t want to share any of the risk with any member states.’ It just doesn’t fly. It’s a common responsibility,” Macron said.
Cameron is hoping to sign up all 27 EU countries to official talks on reform at Thursday’s European council meeting of leaders. No 10 believes the talks would take at least five months but hopes they could be completed in time for the next big council meeting in December so ministers can approve them.
Before he embarked on his quest for reforms, Cameron warned people should expect “noises” from those hostile to his proposals for a renegotiation and treaty change ahead of a referendum by the end of 2017.
Later on Wednesday, Cameron will head to Germany for an official state dinner attended by the Queen. In the evening, he will also take the chance to have a bilateral meeting with the chancellor, Angela Merkel, before the pair head to Brussels for the council meeting.
Downing Street has said the Germans are open to the prospect of official talks on the UK’s demands for reform, which it said would be an “important step” forward. The council meeting is expected to be dominated by the Greek financial situation and the refugee crisis in the Mediterranean but Downing Street is confident time will be found for discussions on the UK’s desire for reform.
The prime minister is under pressure from his Eurosceptic backbenchers to spell out exactly what he is trying to achieve. But Downing Street insists it has been clear about the four main goals it is pursuing: a four-year ban on EU migrants claiming in-work benefits; greater protections for non-eurozone countries to ensure they cannot be outvoted in the single market by eurozone countries; a British opt-out from the EU’s commitment to create an ever closer union; and national parliaments having the ability to club together to block EU legislation.
