European leaders tackled the migration crisis and Britain’s reform demands at a summit on Thursday, twin challenges threatening the unity of the EU as one of the toughest years in its history draws to a close.
Germany and several other nations are meeting with the Turkish prime minister before the full summit to discuss a plan to resettle thousands of Syrian refugees directly from camps in Turkey.
Angela Merkel, the German chancellor, is leading the meeting of the so-called “coalition of the willing” involving 11 countries but the plan faces opposition from other European Union nations.
The full summit of 28 leaders will also debate a controversial plan for a new EU force that could shore up borders without the host country’s consent, to stem a record flow of nearly one million migrants this year. Then over dinner in Brussels, Prime Minister David Cameron will set out his reform demands for the first time to his counterparts, aiming for a deal at the next summit in February to prevent a “Brexit” from the EU. Cameron has vowed to “get a great deal for the British people” before holding a referendum on Britain’s membership by the end of 2017, which could see it become the first country to leave the bloc. But the debate promises to be stormy as the other 27 leaders are almost unanimously opposed to Cameron’s main demand -- a four-year wait before EU migrants working in Britain can claim welfare benefits. European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said that he hoped to hear “other options to the single one proposed” by Cameron for the benefits ban.
“We want a fair deal with Britain but this fair deal with Britain has to be a fair deal for the other 27 too,” Juncker said.
‘UK reform demands unacceptable’
EU president Donald Tusk warned that some of the reform demands British Prime Minister David Cameron is due to make at a summit Thursday are likely to be unacceptable to other leaders. “The consultations I have led with all member states show the goodwill of the participants but it doesn’t change the fact that some parts of the British proposal seem unacceptable. However, if Cameron persuades leaders tonight that we can work together,” he said.