EU leaders debate jobs race, Brexit budget hole

BRUSSELS: EU leaders minus Britain - the bloc’s budget and how to choose a successor to European Commission head Jean-Claude Juncker.

President Emmanuel Macron to reboot the European Union after Britain leaves in 2019 will collide with issues of cold hard cash and sovereignty at the summit in Brussels.

The 27 leaders won’t take any lay the ground for what could be bitter negotiations ahead, particularly to 15 billion euros a year.

They are also set to lay down the law to the European Parliament, insisting that as elected national leaders they, and not MEPs, must commission president in 2019.

EU President Donald Tusk said in his invitation letter to the leaders that he would seek their “guidance” on the issues that will shape the years to come for the continent.

Juncker, who is due to stand the summit that Europe’s recovery after years of crisis was “back on track,” but that “we cannot slow down, Europe must press the accelerator.”

“We must take it step by step starting tomorrow,” he said.

‘Power grab’

British Prime Minister Theresa May in Brussels, the latest in a series of special EU summits aimed at charting a roadmap following the shock of Britain’s June 2016 vote to quit the bloc.

One key issue is how the EU will choose a new head of the European the union, which has a monopoly on proposing new laws and has become increasingly political under Juncker.

In 2014 Juncker was chosen by the -

That involves the largest party in the European Parliament nominating its candidate for the commission post, after which the European choice taking the pick of MEPs into account.

The European Parliament wants European elections in 2019, but with a guarantee that its candidate will be chosen.

ask whether the EU should accept that the parliament’s candidate is “automatically” going to become commission chief or whether the

opposed to what they see as a power - tional sovereignty.

“There cannot be, and will not be, a guarantee that one of the lead candidates will be president of the said, adding however that leaders with the parliament.

‘Unrealistic’ budget timeline

The other thorny issue is how to

Tusk is going to ask leaders whether they are ready to pay more and to urge them to focus on defense, education and migration. Brussels has suggested cuts to agricultural funds and payments to poorer regions.

He will also say it is “unrealistic” - get before the 2019 European elections, pointing out that last time it took 29 months to reach agreement.

Tusk will also tell leaders that he negotiating guidelines on the future EU-Britain relationship, whether or not the British premier has offered

He will also push ahead with that even if there is no deal on a post mired in negotiations about how long it will last, how closely Britain must stick to EU laws, and the rights

Thursday, after she chaired an eighthour cabinet meeting at her country retreat to thrash out a plan.