EU reform package cannot be reversed, says Cameron

DAVID Cameron has dismissed claims that his EU reform package could be undone in the future even if it is agreed at a crucial Brussels summit later this month.

Mr Cameron said that in practice the package could not be undone once it has been agreed by all 28 member states. Picture: Getty

The president of the European Parliament, Martin Schulz, sparked fresh controversy over the deal hammered out by the Prime Minister when he warned: “Nothing is irreversible.”

However, speaking in Copenhagen, Mr Cameron said that in practice the package could not be undone once it has been agreed by all 28 member states.

“If it is agreed it will be agreed as a legally binding treaty deposited at the United Nations,” he said.

“It would only be reversible if all 28 countries including Britain agreed to reverse it.

“Given that it’s the treaty that Britain wants, there is no way we are going to agree to reverse it.

“So while you can argue that it is technically reversible if we agree to reverse it, it is not in fact reversible.”

His comments came after Mr Schulz said: “Nothing in life is irreversible, therefore legally binding decisions are also reversible. Nothing is irreversible.”

Mr Cameron’s comments came after talks with Denmark’s prime minister, who pledged his support to help secure a deal on the reforms of Britain’s relationship with the European Union. Lars Lokke Rasmussen said Danes wanted the UK to remain and hailed Britain as a voice of “common sense”.

The reform package put forward earlier this week was “a good basis for negotiations” over the coming days and weeks, he said.

“It contains many elements which Denmark strongly supports and which we will work hard to retain,” he added.

Mr Rasmussen said he backed “all the elements” on access to welfare benefits, telling reporters the proposals would benefit Denmark and the rest of the EU.

The emergency brake was “perfectly understandable and acceptable” to Denmark, he said.

Mr Rasmussen added: “Denmark will work hard to ensure a result which can help the British government win a referendum and remain a key member of the European Union.”

Mr Cameron added: “Good work has been done, there are still two weeks to go. I still need all 28 countries to agree to the changes, there are still important details to be filled in and work to be done on this negotiation.

“But I think if you look at what we are actually achieving, in the areas of things people care about, that is what we promised in our manifesto and that is what we are delivering.”

Earlier, Mr Cameron met Polish prime minister Beata Szydlo in Warsaw, but he played down suggestions that Polish concerns over his proposed welfare changes could prove a stumbling block to a final agreement.