EU in final push for difficult �Brexit� deal

AFP, BRUSSELS: The quest to prevent Britain crashing out of the European Union faces its moment of truth this week, with EU chief Donald Tusk touring key capitals in a final push for a deal at a crucial Brussels summit.
Many of Prime Minister David Cameron’s demands for reforms ahead of a referendum on Britain’s membership of the crisis-hit bloc still face opposition just days before the meeting on Thursday-Friday.
Tusk cleared his diary in the run-up to the summit for last-ditch talks in Berlin, Paris, Athens and other capitals to press key leaders for an agreement despite what he called a “very fragile” situation.
If Britain becomes the first country to leave the 28-nation EU it would further inflame a firestorm of problems so perilous that Tusk warned recently that the situation felt like “the day before World War I.”
The EU already faces questions about the bloc’s future as it struggles with the continent’s biggest migration crisis in 70 years, and with renewed fears about the health of the euro currency.
Those worries go beyond Europe, with US Secretary of State John Kerry saying on Saturday that Washington backs a “strong UK staying in a strong EU.”
Cameron, who met German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Hamburg on Friday, said he was confident of a deal although “I rule nothing out” if he does not get an agreement.
Merkel meanwhile said that her “wish” was to avoid a so-called “Brexit” in a referendum that is expected to be held in June.  
Three years after Cameron first demanded reforms and announced a referendum, the issue has come down to quibbles over a few words and sets of brackets in proposals that Tusk unveiled last month.
Tusk’s meetings with Merkel, French President Francois Hollande, Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras and others on Monday and Tuesday are meant to solve what EU sources told AFP were “outstanding issues” after negotiators in Brussels failed to reach a breakthrough.    
A key sticking point is an “emergency brake” that would allow Britain to limit welfare benefit payments for four years to newly-arrived citizens of other EU countries who are working in Britain.
Eastern European countries in particular say the plan could discriminate against them as many of their nationals work in Britain, and that it would breach the EU’s principle of freedom of movement.

EU in final push for difficult �Brexit� deal

AFP, BRUSSELS: The quest to prevent Britain crashing out of the European Union faces its moment of truth this week, with EU chief Donald Tusk touring key capitals in a final push for a deal at a crucial Brussels summit. Many of Prime Minister David Camerons demands for reforms ahead of a referendum on Britains membership of the crisis-hit bloc still face opposition just days before the meeting on Thursday-Friday. Tusk cleared his diary in the run-up to the summit for last-ditch talks in Berlin, Paris, Athens and other capitals to press key leaders for an agreement despite what he called a very fragile situation. If Britain becomes the first country to leave the 28-nation EU it would further inflame a firestorm of problems so perilous that Tusk warned recently that the situation felt like the day before World War I. The EU already faces questions about the blocs future as it struggles with the continents biggest migration crisis in 70 years, and with renewed fears about the health of the euro currency. Those worries go beyond Europe, with US Secretary of State John Kerry saying on Saturday that Washington backs a strong UK staying in a strong EU. Cameron, who met German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Hamburg on Friday, said he was confident of a deal although I rule nothing out if he does not get an agreement. Merkel meanwhile said that her wish was to avoid a so-called Brexit in a referendum that is expected to be held in June. Three years after Cameron first demanded reforms and announced a referendum, the issue has come down to quibbles over a few words and sets of brackets in proposals that Tusk unveiled last month. Tusks meetings with Merkel, French President Francois Hollande, Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras and others on Monday and Tuesday are meant to solve what EU sources told AFP were outstanding issues after negotiators in Brussels failed to reach a breakthrough. A key sticking point is an emergency brake that would allow Britain to limit welfare benefit payments for four years to newly-arrived citizens of other EU countries who are working in Britain. Eastern European countries in particular say the plan could discriminate against them as many of their nationals work in Britain, and that it would breach the EUs principle of freedom of movement.