EU reform negotiations: what’s going on?

Author (Corporate)
Series Title
Series Details No.7311, 09.11.15
Publication Date 09/11/2015
Content Type

What's happened to the EU reform proposals that the UK Prime Minister David Cameron announced and on which the in-out referendum by 2017 will be based? 'Technical talks' are taking place in secret between EU and UK officials, and very little information is available to shed light on progress.

This note looks at launch of the UK reform agenda at the European Council in June 2015, bilateral talks with other EU leaders, EU institutional initiatives which might be relevant to the Government's reforms and other developments.

European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said in the European Parliament on the 14 October 2015 that UK and and EU negotiators were not making 'huge progress' in their pre-referendum talks.

EU leaders would hear a preliminary assessment of the UK's EU membership negotiations at the European Council in Brussels on the 15-16 October 2015, but the real political discussions would probably take place in the spring of 2016, as the United Kingdom had still not articulated specific demands in the negotiations.

[Briefing papers are periodically updated, so the hyperlink may take you to an updated edition].

Source Link Link to Main Source http://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/CBP-7311/CBP-7311.pdf
Related Links
ESO: In Focus: Brexit - The United Kingdom and the European Union http://www.europeansources.info/record/brexit-the-united-kingdom-and-the-european-union/
ESO: Background information: Cameron targets Brussels over Brexit http://www.europeansources.info/record/cameron-targets-brussels-over-brexit/
Blog: Open Europe, 01.10.15: Open Europe chairman Lord Leach: Only 'big picture' reform can keep the UK inside the EU http://openeurope.org.uk/impact/open-europe-chairman-lord-leach-only-big-picture-reform-can-keep-the-uk-inside-the-eu/
EurActiv, 14.10.15: Juncker mumble stumble on Britain 'needing' EU http://www.euractiv.com/sections/uk-europe/uk-downplays-progress-eu-reforms-318504
Politico, 14.10.15: ‘Does’ or ‘Doesn’t’ Juncker think Britain needs the EU? http://www.politico.eu/article/does-or-doesnt-juncker-think-britain-needs-the-eu-brexit-europe/
BBC News, 14.10.15: Juncker 'can't say there's been huge progress in UK talks' http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-34533050
EUObserver, 14.10.15: Brexit talks must get political, or face delay https://euobserver.com/institutional/130681
UK: House of Lords: EU Committee: Inquiry on EU reform and pre Council Meeting: Evidence, 12.10.15 http://www.parliament.uk/documents/lords-committees/eu-select/MinisterforEurope/ucEU121015ev1.pdf

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