EU-CELAC SUMMIT/CAMERON Britain's Cameron to discuss referendum plans at EU summit

Record ID: 150799

  • Title: EU-CELAC SUMMIT/CAMERON Britain's Cameron to discuss referendum plans at EU summit
  • Date: 10th June 2015
  • Summary: BRUSSELS, BELGIUM (JUNE 10, 2015) (REUTERS) EXTERIOR OF EUROPEAN COUNCIL PIGEONS IN FRONT OF EU FLAGS
  • Embargoed: 25th June 2015 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Belgium
  • Country: Belgium
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVA86QVIRJO6FE7YN4APM7RCAYIY
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: British Prime Minister David Cameron said on Wednesday (June 10) he will use a summit in Brussels to continue discussions over the country's planned referendum on EU membership.
    Cameron, seeking to put an end to a decades-old rift within his Conservative party over Britain's place in Europe, has promised to negotiate a new settlement with Brussels and hold a referendum by the end of 2017. Lawmakers in the United Kingdom overwhelmingly voted to pass the EU Referendum Bill on Tuesday.
    Speaking as he arrived for a summit of EU, Latin American and Caribbean countries in the Belgian capital, Cameron said he would use the talks to continue discussions on EU reform.
    "Today is a good opportunity really for two reasons. One, to have discussions with leaders of South and Central American countries about trade talks and progress for jobs and growth at home, but secondly to continue the discussion with European allies and partners about my agenda for European reform and renegotiation. That reform and renegotiation it's under way. I'm content with the progress we've made so far, but the referendum will happen by the end of 2017. And it was historic last night that we had the second reading of the referendum bill. It will be the British people that make this decision," he told reporters outside the European Council.
    Cameron says he wants Britain to remain in a reformed EU and is confident he can get changes which would allow him to recommend that to Britons. But he has ruled nothing out if he does not secure reforms such as tighter restrictions on EU migrants' access to welfare payments.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2015. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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