PM meetings with MEPs in Brussels: 16 February 2016
Prime Minister David Cameron met with senior MEPs in Brussels to discuss the UK's proposals for EU reform.
A Number 10 spokesperson said:
The Prime Minister held a series of useful meetings with senior MEPs in Brussels this morning.
At the European Parliament, he met with the President of the European Parliament and the MEPs who are representing the Parliament in the negotiations on the UK’s proposed reforms – Elmar Brok (EPP), Roberto Gualtieri (S&D) and Guy Verhofstadt (ALDE).
They all offered their support for solutions in each of the 4 areas and, in particular, committed to work hard to ensure that the relevant secondary legislation on the emergency brake and child benefit is swiftly adopted by the Parliament.
The Prime Minister also met with the chairs of the 3 largest groups in the European Parliament – Gianni Pittella, Chair of the Socialist and Democrats; Manfred Weber, Chair of the European People’s Party and Syed Kamall, Chair of the European Conservatives and Reformist Groups. All 3 made clear their support for the proposals on the table and said they were ready to take any necessary EU legislation through the European Parliament swiftly.
The Prime Minister then went on to meet the President of the European Commission. They agreed that the talks on the UK renegotiation had progressed well since the publication of the draft proposals by the President of the European Council. They focused on those issues where there are still details to be nailed down in order to pave the way for an agreement at this week’s summit.
Finally, the Prime Minister also spoke to the Czech Prime Minister, Bohuslav Sobotka, by phone today. The Prime Minister welcomed the support for the UK renegotiation expressed by the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia at their meeting yesterday in Prague and both agreed that further discussions are necessary to pin down all the details. The Prime Minister is expected to speak to the Dutch Prime Minister, Mark Rutte, later this afternoon.