EU delays summit to avoid Brexit vote clash

European Union leaders have delayed their June summit by several days, avoiding a clash with Britain's referendum on EU membership, an official said Friday.

"The June meeting of the European Council confirmed for 28-29 June," Preben Aamann, a spokesman for EU president Donald Tusk, said in a tweet.

The 28 EU leaders were initially due to begin a regular two-day meeting on June 23, the same day as the so-called Brexit vote in Britain.

An EU source said Tusk had suggested to member states to agree to postpone the summit by a few days to "avoid overlap" with the British referendum.

Britons are set to vote on June 23 in the referendum which Prime Minister David Cameron promised ahead of last year's general election.

Cameron fixed the date after securing from his EU peers what he argues are key changes to Britain's membership terms, including taking back powers over social welfare and immigration from Brussels.

The 28 EU leaders meet regularly for two-day summits throughout the year to review outstanding issues and set broad policy outlines for the bloc.

The Brexit issue and Cameron's reform demands dominated their February 18-19 summit.

Opinion polls have been mixed overall but a survey in The Observer newspaper at the weekend put support for Britain to leave the EU at 43 percent, against 39 percent wanting to stay.
Source: AFP