Merkel gives UK hope of EU reform by telling Cameron: Where there’s a will…

Angela Merkel indicated support for David Cameron’s requests for EU reform even suggesting treaty change could be on the cards. The German Chancellor said treaty change to enshrine the amendments the British Prime Minister is calling for would not be “impossible but is going to be difficult”. However, she said when it came to EU reform: “Where there’s a will, there’s a way." And she agreed there was a problem with abuse of the benefits system and said it would be in Germany’s interests to make changes in this area. Cameron has pledged to refuse benefits to EU migrants unless they have worked in the UK for four years but under EU freedom of movement rules all EU citizens are entitled to the benefits enjoyed by those who live there.

On immigration and welfare, Prime Minister Kopacz welcomed the PM’s commitment to respect the principle of free movement. They agreed that there were issues concerning the interaction between free movement and national welfare systems that should be discussed further.

UK Government spokesman

Ahead of his meeting with Ms Merkel, Cameron failed to gain backing from Poland’s leader for his planned crackdown on benefits for EU migrants. Poland has sharply criticised the plans to refuse benefits to EU migrants unless they have worked in the UK for four years saying they are "discriminatory”. Cameron’s spokesman said while Ewa Kopacz  and he found “much they could agree on”, benefit restrictions had not been on of those things. Earlier this week there were leaked reports that Ms Merkel and France’s Francois Hollande were drawing up plans to further integrate the Eurozone countries without treaty change.

We think it’s in the interest of Europe and in the interest of the United Kingdom to be together but the people must always be respected.

Francois Hollande

Politics Merkel and Cameron