UK

EU Parliament chief wants explanation from Cameron

BRUSSELS (AP) — The European Parliament chief wants British Prime Minister David Cameron to explain his blueprint for a condensed European Union to the legislature, and is warning that 21st century challenges require solutions beyond individual nations.

Martin Schulz also warned Cameron on Friday not to seek too many cuts in the 2014-2020 EU budget which will be discussed at the Feb. 7-8 summit of EU leaders, or it could be rejected by the parliament.

Schulz chastised Cameron for depicting the EU almost as "an enemy, an occupying enemy," in his landmark speech Wednesday on Britain's future in the 27-nation bloc. "When I read this speech I wondered what is this great evil that the British see in Europe," he said.

He warned that Cameron's criticism and call for renegotiating Britain's relations with the EU ahead of a referendum "could be a self-fulfilling prophesy." Cameron proposed that his Conservative Party renegotiate the U.K.'s relationship with the EU if it wins the next general election, expected in 2015.

The speech was seen by many as a gamble to shore up support for Cameron's fractured, increasingly anti-EU party, that risked antagonizing other countries focused on stemming the eurozone debt crisis. "I would be pleased to welcome David Cameron to the European Parliament to make a presentation about his ideas," Schulz said.

Britain's Euroskeptic UKIP party claimed Cameron's announcement as its biggest victory, with a possible departure from the EU now a realistic possibility. "You see these kneejerk reactions. This is dangerous," said Schulz, adding Britain had no reason to complain about the EU, where it had already won many exemptions.

One of Britain's latest demands is to slash the EU budget, and Cameron led a group of nations at a November summit to demand cuts in the €1 trillion ($1.35 trillion) seven-year budget. Schulz warned however, that any drastic action to reduce the budget could be undone by a rejection from the European Parliament and said "the further the summit goes, the less likely it will be that parliament will agree."

Related Headlines

  • France's Hollande sees tough EU summit ahead

    French President Francois Hollande on Tuesday warned British Prime Minister David Cameron not to hijack this week's European Union summit with excessive demands on cuts in the ... 

  • EU leaders battle over budget at tough summit

    European Union leaders defended their hard lines as they dragged a summit to decide EU spending for the next seven years into early Friday, laying bare deep divisions over the ... 

  • Donald Tusk

    EU summit ends without budget deal

    A summit of the European Union's 27 national leaders, charged with agreeing on a long-term budget for the bloc, broke up Friday afternoon without being able to reach a deal. 

  • Angela Merkel, Martin Schulz, Francois Hollande,

    EU leaders agree to $1.28 trillion 7-year budget

    European Union leaders agreed Friday to a significantly reduced 7-year budget worth €960 billion ($1.28 trillion) — the first cut in spending in the 27-country group's history