French President François Hollande told David Cameron that Paris does not regard renegotiation of EU treaties as a “priority”.
In talks at RAF Brize Norton, Cameron made clear that he believes changes to the fundamental EU treaties are necessary as part of the process leading to the in/out referendum on British membership he has promised by the end of 2017.
Differences over Europe overshadowed a UK-France summit which saw agreements to extend defence cooperation, including a £120 million joint feasibility study for a new armed drone and additional British logistical support for France’s military mission in the Central African Republic.
The French President insisted that there was no urgent need for a treaty change.
“France would like the UK to remain within the EU,” said Hollande. “France would like to have a more efficient Europe which can attain the objectives which we consider to be essential – growth, employment, energy and, of course, the capacity to bring in the techniques for tomorrow and to protect our population.
I want to see Britain vote to be a member of a reformed EU
“France would like the eurozone to be better coordinated, better integrated and, if there are going to be amendments to the text, we don’t feel that for the time being they are urgent. We feel that revising the treaty is not a priority for the time being.”
But Cameron said that there had already been two changes to treaties since he took office in 2010 and insisted: “Just as the eurozone needs change, so Britain wants change in Europe – change for all of Europe to make Europe more competitive, more flexible, better able to succeed in this global race, but also changes that Britain wants to see.
“My position absolutely remains that we want to see those changes, we want to see that renegotiation. That renegotiation will involve elements of treaty change and then there will be a referendum in Britain before the end of 2017 that is an in/out referendum. People need to know that is absolutely what we will achieve and I believe it will be done and I believe it will be important for Europe and important for Britain.
“I want to see Britain vote to be a member of a reformed EU.”
Differences over economic policy also surfaced, with Hollande indicating a preference for state intervention to boost growth.
Conservatives have been critical of Hollande’s economic policies, including the introduction of a 75 per cent top rate of tax, with party chairman Grant Shapps saying earlier this month that the president had run France “into the sand”.
Cameron said he “commended” Hollande’s efforts to cut spending and use the proceeds to reduce taxes and unemployment.
But he added: “Of course we are not going to agree about everything. Francois is a French Socialist, I am a British Conservative – it would be odd if we agreed about everything.
“But on this point we do agree – that we need structural reform and changes in our economy to improve growth, to improve employment and to give our people the best chance of having that security and stability of a regular pay packet so they can provide for their families. The ends we seek are the same.”
The two leaders were due to discuss Europe over lunch in a Cotswold country pub following the summit in the RAF air base in Mr Cameron’s Oxfordshire constituency.
Cameron said that the cross-Channel partnership was “as close and as important as ever” as he set out details of new agreements on military co-operation, building on the Lancaster House agreement which he signed with Hollande’s predecessor Nicolas Sarkozy in 2010.
The Prime Minister said: “We recognise that if we, Britain and France, do more together, our defence budgets will go further, our armed forces will benefit from better equipment and our defence industries will remain world leaders and we will be able to have a greater global impact.