Cameron seeks new deal on EU Membership

Global Business

Leaders of the European Union have started a two-day summit aimed at clinching concessions for Britain ahead of the country’s planned referendum on whether to exit the bloc.

CCTV’s Jack Barton reports from the European Council in Brussels.

Cameron seeks new deal on EU Membership

Leaders of the European Union have started a two-day summit aimed at clinching concessions for Britain ahead of the country's planned referendum on whether to exit the bloc. CCTV's Jack Barton reports from the European Council in Brussels. The European leaders' summit comes after months of torturous negotiations surrounding the U.K.'s attempt to wrestle back some legislative powers from Brussels. If a deal is done, Prime Minister David Cameron says he will lobby for Britain to remain in the EU ahead of the in or out referendum expected this later year. Cameron believes any deal should include exemption from the bloc's founding ambition to forge " closer union." He also wants greater powers for national parliaments to block EU legislation and explicit recognition that the Euro is not the bloc's only currency. But there is plenty of resistance including from France which is against attempts to secure greater protection for London's key finance sector by giving non-Eurozone nations more power to stall EU financial regulation. Britain also wants to limit some welfare benefits for EU migrants, a move rejected by four eastern European countries. A unanimous agreement by Friday could lead to a referendum being held as early as June. Once the issue of Britain is settled, or postponed, all 28 EU leaders along with Turkey's Prime Minister plan to turn their full attention to the bloc's other major pressing concern: the refugee crisis and how to secure Europe's external borders.

The European leaders’ summit comes after months of torturous negotiations surrounding the U.K.’s attempt to wrestle back some legislative powers from Brussels.

If a deal is done, Prime Minister David Cameron says he will lobby for Britain to remain in the EU ahead of the in or out referendum expected this later year.

Cameron believes any deal should include exemption from the bloc’s founding ambition to forge ” closer union.”

He also wants greater powers for national parliaments to block EU legislation and explicit recognition that the Euro is not the bloc’s only currency.

But there is plenty of resistance including from France which is against attempts to secure greater protection for London’s key finance sector by giving non-Eurozone nations more power to stall EU financial regulation.

Britain also wants to limit some welfare benefits for EU migrants, a move rejected by four eastern European countries.

A unanimous agreement by Friday could lead to a referendum being held as early as June.

Once the issue of Britain is settled, or postponed, all 28 EU leaders along with Turkey’s Prime Minister plan to turn their full attention to the bloc’s other major pressing concern: the refugee crisis and how to secure Europe’s external borders.