The European Union has agreed with Britain, Poland is also satisfied. Commentators point out the relatively large role and consistent attitude of the Visegrad Group countries in the negotiations.
Britain’s Prime Minister David Cameron confirmed in the morning that after today’s meeting of his cabinet to the date of the EU referendum.
At the Cabinet meeting Cameron inform their ministers on concessions which won for Britain at the EU summit in Brussels.
the most likely date of the referendum passes Thursday 23 June – even before the summer and before the good start to the new season of European migrations of refugees, which would strengthen the camp Brexitu.
With the designation of the date of the referendum, will begin officially campaigns of both camps. The Prime Minister himself is in favor of the United Kingdom staying in the European Union. He also tried to force his ministers to take a common position – or leave the government. He found, however, so much resistance that overturned the unanimity office and let the eurosceptics remain in it, and at the same time actively involved in any campaign pre-referendum.
The agreement of the EU to London: the case of benefits
in the night from Friday to Saturday, the leaders of European Union member states adopted a plan of agreement on the continued membership of Great Britain in the EU and British plans to reform the community.
the change in the conditions of membership of Great Britain Community agreed on leader 28 countries at the summit in Brussels.
(If agreement is reached. Video: European Council)
London received permission to reduce benefits for citizens from EU countries. No cuts do not embrace a large group of Poles currently working in the UK. The newly London to visitors will be able to reduce benefits for 7 years.
slightly different issue allowances for children who live in Poland, and their parents work in another EU country. Each member country will be able to reduce those benefits. In this case, Poland tried to still limit the damage and losses associated with the introduction of new rules. People who are already working abroad by 2020 will not notice the changes, but after this period will be treated as the newly Visitors – benefits will be reduced to the level of cost of living in the country where the child lives and the level of benefits. The woman, who now works for example in the British Isles, do not feel the same.
(Premier Law and Justice deputy; TVN24 / x-news)
“special status”
– This agreement responds to all the concerns expressed by the United Kingdom, while not violate our fundamental principles – as judged settlement president of the European Council Donald Tusk.
He stressed that the negotiated conditions ensure a “special status” Britain in the EU, will be legally binding and irreversible.
also, the President of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker , which together with Tusk coordinated negotiations with London, argued that the agreement is “fair for the UK, various other Member States and for the EU.” There it creates divisions within the EU, but builds bridges – said Juncker, ensuring that the arrangements do not open the way to discrimination against part of the EU’s citizens and will not be challenged by the EU Court of Justice.
Convinced that the agreed benefit total agreement is Prime Minister Cameron . – I negotiated an agreement that gives the UK a special status in the European Union – he said. – This agreement is the implementation of the commitments that I made at the beginning of the negotiation process. “
As reported, the compromise will ensure that the United Kingdom will be excluded from the further deepening of European integration and” will never be part of a European superstate. “- Will new tough restrictions on access to our system of benefits for immigrants from other EU countries. they will no longer get something for nothing – said Cameron at the press conference.
the United Kingdom will reap the full benefits of the single market would never join to the euro, and its economic interests are protected.
– I believe that it is enough for me to recommend to remain the United Kingdom in the EU and reap all the best of both worlds – said Cameron.
– we will be a part of Europe that works to our advantage, influencing decisions, having consequences for us. we will be at the helm of the world’s largest market with the ability to take action to ensure the safety of our citizens – said Cameron.
he warned that while the United Kingdom will be outside of these solutions the EU, which are not for her benefit, for example. open borders and aid programs for countries in financial difficulties.
for the first time the EU explicitly recognized that has more than one currency, the British Prime Minister remarked. He added that the responsibility for the financial sector in the UK remains in the hands of the Bank of England.
Visegrad Group came to the fore
Experts in British relations European Union assessed in a conversation with one of the news agencies that a special role in the negotiations on the conditions for continued membership of Great Britain in the European Union have played State of the Visegrad Group (V4).
Experts indicated that the negotiations at the European Council in Brussels showed strong position of the Visegrad Group, which effectively limited the ambitions of the British negotiators regarding restrictions on access to social benefits for workers from other European Union countries, mainly from Central and Eastern Europe .
– this is not an emergency situation, because a similar situation can be observed eg. in talks on the Multiannual Financial Framework (EU budget, ed.), but the consistency and coherence of the positions V4 strengthened the arguments of Polish, who led the game with the highest rate – emphasized Agata Gostyńska-Jakubowska, an analyst at the Centre for European Reform in London, referring to the situation of more than 850 thousand. Poles living in the UK.
– Inside the Visegrad Group we saw a much greater unanimity than in many important issues of recent months, including the maintenance of sanctions against Russia – said Paul Świdlicki, expert think-tank Open Europe. – In the course of negotiations, Cameron had to seek the approval of each of the countries of Central and Eastern Europe and go to individual capitals, reflecting the strengthening of the importance of the region – said the expert.
“The interests of both sides into account”
Experts estimate also that the agreement reflects the interests of both parties to the negotiations and stressed that a special role in the talks played the Visegrad Group countries.
– Plan Cameron from the beginning was not the real thing what could fundamentally change the conditions of membership of Great Britain in the European Union – rated Quentin Peel, an expert of the prestigious think-tank Chatham House and a former head of the foreign section of the Financial Times.
the only significant change concerns the adjustment to countries outside the zone euro. Adjustments in the system of social benefits, despite the controversy and understandable resistance in Central and Eastern Europe, will have very little impact on reducing the influx of migrants to the UK. It was a symbol, not about a real change – rated Peel.
Agata Gostyńska-Jakubowska, an analyst at the Centre for European Reform in London, agreed that “Cameron wanted to achieve, above all, such an agreement, which will be able to sell in the country”. Commenting on the records of the so-called. emergency brake, Gostyńska-Jakubowska assessed, however, that “it is difficult to imagine that he could get a better offer.”
She said seven years of operation mechanism is responsible solutions treaty concerning the transitional period after the entry of new countries into the European Union, what constitutes “success of Cameron, because Poland and the Visegrad Group wanted less [than seven years].”
Paul Świdlicki, expert think-tank Open Europe, said that in return London gave up the option of extending the “brake” for the next few years, which was in the original proposal. – Remember, however, that seven years in politics eternity – 2024 year will be closer to the election in 2025 than 2020, and the Cameron may have long not to be in politics – he said.
The British government look at the agreement
As mentioned, a draft EU agreement will be discussed on Saturday at a special meeting of the British government, held the first weekend since the Falklands war in the 80s of the twentieth century.
As previously announced, after the adoption of the common position of the cabinet – a recommendation to remain in the European Union – David Cameron will make his ministers for individual participation in the campaign pre-referendum, also against the line of the government.
How rated Quentin Peel the think tank Chatham House and a former head of the foreign section of the Financial Times, Cameron must reckon with the fact that “up to seven ministers”, including a personal friend of Cameron, Michael Gove, will not consider the effects of renegotiation and will persuade to vote for leaving the European Union.
– essential for holding the referendum would be which side will tell the charismatic mayor of London Boris Johnson. I fear, however, that it will be very cynical decision, arising out of this, which is better for the country, but from where he can gain more, given its ambitions of replacing Cameron at Downing Street – said Peel.
Johnson, who is also a deputy of the Conservative Party, is mentioned among the candidates for the post of prime minister after a possible withdrawal from public life, David Cameron. Current British Prime Minister announced that the elections in 2020 not to run for a third term.
A referendum in June? Important March EU summit
The experts agreed that the referendum should be expected before the summer holidays. Sources in the British diplomacy confirmed media speculation that the most likely date is Thursday, June 23.
– It’s quite a risky time for a referendum due to the risk of increased influx into Europe of refugees from North Africa and the Middle East – said Peel . – In this sense, the March summit, the European Union – Turkey may be the course of the referendum as important as yesterday’s meeting of the European Council. If the British see Europe divided, unable to cooperate with Turkey to stem the tide of migration – it might be less inclined to vote in favor of staying in the community “- stressed the former journalist for the” Financial Times “.
Less skeptical is Paul Świdlicki. “Since the crisis began refugee last year, much has changed, both in Hungary and on the borders of Austria and Germany. It seems that slowly Europe regains control of its external borders” – rated.
Recent opinion polls
the polls now show a slight advantage followers remain in the European Union, but the results are very different depending on the methodology of research, ranging from tie to even several percentage points difference.
for example, according to Monday’s ComRes poll for ITV News 49 percent. Britons say they would vote in a referendum for the United Kingdom staying in the EU, while 41 per cent. would like to exit the country from the Union.
On Friday, in a poll by TNS center 36 percent. respondents were leaving for Britain with the EU, and 34 per cent. – For staying in the EU; wherein 23 percent. respondents were undecided, and 7 percent. not have gone to vote.
Polish community in Britain, numbering around 850,000 people, will not have the right to vote in the referendum.
PAP / IAR / agkm
Video: press conference after reaching agreement
Infographic: support for families in the EU
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