Before Britain's 2017 referendum on EU membership, Europe's leaders must find a way to balance the need for deeper eurozone integration and the interests of non-euro countries like the UK. The best approach would be to divide Europe formally into two groups, euro and non-euro countries, with the former getting their own parliament.
WASHINGTON, DC – Informal discussions on the United Kingdom’s relationship with the European Union are now underway. With a referendum on the UK’s continued EU membership set to take place before the end of 2017, the talks are the first step toward negotiating changes which, EU leaders hope, will convince British voters to choose Europe.
And changes will certainly be needed. Indeed, as Prime Minister David Cameron is well aware, given the current dynamic of the UK’s relationship with the EU, British voters would undoubtedly choose to leave the EU.
But Cameron also knows that he must handle the negotiations with care. If he asks for more than the EU can accommodate, he will look as if he caved in. If he asks for too little, Britain’s Euroskeptics will have more fuel for their campaign against continued membership.
WASHINGTON, DC – Informal discussions on the United Kingdom’s relationship with the European Union are now underway. With a referendum on the UK’s continued EU membership set to take place before the end of 2017, the talks are the first step toward negotiating changes which, EU leaders hope, will convince British voters to choose Europe.
And changes will certainly be needed. Indeed, as Prime Minister David Cameron is well aware, given the current dynamic of the UK’s relationship with the EU, British voters would undoubtedly choose to leave the EU.
But Cameron also knows that he must handle the negotiations with care. If he asks for more than the EU can accommodate, he will look as if he caved in. If he asks for too little, Britain’s Euroskeptics will have more fuel for their campaign against continued membership.