Bad day in Brussels as four countries say no to Cameron’s reforms

DAVID Cameron suffered his worst day yet in his campaign to reform the European Union when his plans were rejected by four countries yesterday.

The Prime Minister met leaders in Brussels as part of a charm offensive to try to renegotiate the terms of Britain’s membership of the EU before the planned in-out referendum.

But the intensive diplomacy turned into an embarrassing setback as each of the four leaders he met rebuffed his proposals.

Belgium said his plan for a four-year ban on migrants claiming in-work benefits was a ‘ non- starter’, and Romania said i t would ‘ obviously not’ accept the proposal.

Finland and Spain, meanwhile, ruled out changing EU treaties, a move Mr Cameron believes is essential if he is to secure reform.

Downing Street last night denied the trip had been a disaster and rejected suggestions that the Prime Minister had been ‘told to get lost in various different languages’. Mr Cameron’s spokesman said: ‘I certainly wouldn’t characterise it like that. He has had the opportunity for good discussions with four more European leaders.

‘Many of those expressed their determination to do all they could to keep Britain in the EU and certainly a desire to work with us to find solutions.’

But the diplomatic rejections underline the difficulties Mr Cam- eron may face in securing acceptable reforms to put to voters before the referendum.

Downing Street has been hoping a renegotiation of Britain’s EU membership could be completed by Christmas, paving the way for a referendum next spring.

But Mr Cameron needs to get agreement on his proposals from all of the other 27 EU states, and could face significant difficulties if they dig their heels in.

He is now halfway through his campaign to meet all EU leaders before a crunch summit in Brussels at the end of this month, when Britain’s demands will be debated.

Yesterday, he held four bilateral meetings at the EU-CELAC summit of European, Latin American and Caribbean nations in Brussels.

The Belgian prime minister, Charles Michel, told Mr Cameron the renegotiation ‘will not be easy’.

Describing plans to cut benefits for non- British workers as a ‘ nonstarter’, his spokesman later said: ‘The equality of European citizens for us is a crucial point of view.’

Romanian president Klaus Iohannis left his meeting with Mr Cameron saying he would resist the move too, adding: ‘No member state is allowed to treat people coming from elsewhere different from its own people.’

‘It can’t be

done’

Juha Sipila, Finland’s prime minister, told Mr Cameron he is not eager to open the ‘Pandora’s box’ of EU treaty change, prompting competing demands from other countries.

Spanish diplomats said prime minister Mariano Rajoy told Mr Cameron treaty change ‘can’t be done’.

The Prime Minister’s spokesman admitted last night that Mr Cameron still had a long way to go in persuading EU member states, but insisted reforms could be achieved.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has said that with EU reform, ‘where there’s a will there’s a way’.

Greece must reach a deal with its creditors in the coming days or the ‘game’ could be over, European Council president Donald Tusk warned last night. ‘There is no more time for gambling,’ he said. Greece’s fate could be sealed at a meeting of eurozone finance ministers next week.