UK PM Cameron sets out 4 key demands for EU membership

(Vatican Radio)  UK Prime Minister David Cameron has set out a list of demands for European Union reform, on which he hopes to base negotiations to keep Britain in the 27 member bloc.

The four key suggestions have been sent in a letter to the President of the European Council Donald Tusk, and detailed discussions will now take place with EU leaders.  But Mr Cameron's demands have been met with caution as Catherine Drew reports from London.

Listen to Catherine Drew's report:

David Cameron has many people to please as he negotiates the tricky business of trying to reform the European Union and Britain's membership of it.   Forced by many in his own party who believe the UK should withdraw from the block, he promised an in-out referendum before the end of 2017.  

But ahead of that time he wants to get what he refers to as a better deal for the UK to make membership more attractive.  

Mr. Cameron said, "There will be some in Britain who will say that what we're asking for is far too little, and there will be some in European capitals who will say that what we're asking for is far too much. I say that what I'm asking for is what is needed to fix the problem of Britain's relationship to the European Union."

To that end he laid out four demands which he said must all be met before he would advise the voting public to stay within the EU.  

These are protecting the single EU market for the the UK and other countries that have not adopted the euro as their currency, boosting competitiveness by cutting red tape, exempting the UK from the stated EU goal of "ever closer union" and bolstering national parliaments and restricting benefits to working migrants in a bid to make moving to the UK less attractive. 

That last point will be the most contentious.  Britain wants to bring down levels of migration from within the European Union, over which it has no control, but EU countries will see the restricting of in-work benefits as discrimination against it's citizens.   It would mean a worker from the EU, doing the same job as a British citizen in the UK, would be paid less.

Mr Cameron's letter to the President of the European Council Donald Tusk, which runs to six pages and  begins "Dear Donald" goes on to say he appreciates these demands will be difficult for some members.

But in his speech Tuesday, Mr Cameron repeated his message that he was not afraid of a life for Britain outside the EU. 

"I will campaign to keep Britain inside a reformed European Union, because that will be unambiguously in our national interests. But if we can't reach an agreement, and if Britain's concerns were to be met with a deaf ear, which I don't believe will happen, then we will have to think again about whether this European Union is right for us. I rule nothing out."

There is some sympathy within the EU for some of Mr Cameron's demands: there is broad support for a cutting of red tape for business and making the bloc more competitive, however the cutting of in work benefits as described by the European commission spokesman Margaritis Schinas gave an early reaction to the letter, describing some demands as highly problematic. 

Mr. Schinas said, "We see a number of elements which appear to be feasible, like finding ways to increase the roles of national parliaments. Some issues which are difficult, like ever closer union and relations between the Euro ins-and-outs, and some things which are highly problematic, as they touch upon the fundamental freedoms of our internal market. Direct discrimination between EU citizens clearly falls into this last category."

David Cameron's letter to Donald Tusk ends by saying if he can get these reforms delivered, he will campaign for the UK to stay within the EU with all his heart and soul. 

Mr Tusk is due to meet with all the EU leaders to garner their reaction ahead of a summit in December during which the British Prime Minister looks set to learn what the EU is willing to do to keep him in their club.