British PM Cameron hails 'real progress' on draft EU deal

A draft deal for key changes in Britain's membership in the European Union ahead of its in/out referendum "shows real progress" but "more work" is still needed, Prime Minister David Cameron said Tuesday.

"Draft EU renegotiation document shows real progress in all four areas where UK needs change but there's more work to do," he wrote on Twitter.

Cameron said the document had advanced Britain's calls for a brake on the concept of "ever closer union" within the block, and its controversial plans to restrict welfare benefits to EU migrants.

The draft proposals to keep Britain in the bloc, unveiled by EU President Donald Tusk on Tuesday, include an immediate brake on benefit payments for migrant workers and protection for countries that do not use the euro currency.
"Britain Stronger In Europe", the main campaign group for remaining in the union, welcomed the plans as "good for Britain".

"These are significant proposals," said Stuart Rose, the group's chairman.

"We can have the best of both worlds -- strengthening our economy and our position on the world stage through our membership of the EU, whilst giving us greater control to protect Britain's interests.

"These proposals strengthen our hand."

However, UK Independence Party Nigel Farage dismissed the plans as ineffective.

"The British people want net EU migration cut," he wrote on Twitter. "Fiddling with benefits won't achieve that. Leave EU & control borders."

"Leave.EU", a group which is campaigning for a "Brexit", called the plan a "fudge and a farce".
Source :AFP