EU treaty change on cards, says Osborne

The United Kingdom Chancellor of the Exchequer (Finance Minister) George Osborne said on the 11 September 2011 that a new European Union treaty to shore up the eurozone was 'on the cards' over the next few years, setting up the prospect of months of wrangling within the coalition over the future of Europe.

Speaking after meeting the German, French and Italian finance ministers at the Group of Seven meeting in Marseilles, the Chancellor signalled he would support a big treaty change as long as Britain played no part in greater European integration and the changes did not harm UK interests.

Mr Osborne was speaking after William Hague, UK Foreign Secretary, said Britain might benefit from looser ties with the EU and ahead of a meeting on the 12 September 2011 of about 90 Conservative MPs keen to 'radically overhaul' the UK’s relations with Brussels.

ESO: Background information: Berlin Lays Groundwork for a Two-Speed Europe http://www.europeansources.info/record/berlin-lays-groundwork-for-a-two-speed-europe/

ESO: Background information: Cameron pledges to tackle EU laws on labour http://www.europeansources.info/record/cameron-pledges-to-tackle-eu-laws-on-labour/

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