Despite support from 11 countries for the Prime Minister’s growth plan sent to Brussels 10 days ago, Herman Van Rompuy failed to include any of the proposals in a draft text to be agreed at a summit today.
Instead, said diplomats, the President of the European Council, who runs EU summits, included proposals from France and Germany “almost word for word”.
As last night’s EU employment and growth summit opened, Mr Cameron stood up to “complain” that his call for “clear targets, timetables setting out dates and accountability” had been snubbed, government sources disclosed.
“He complained. He asked why it was that the views of 12 countries, representing more than half the EU’s population, had not been reflected,” said a source.
Mr Cameron clashed with Mr Van Rompuy over his plan to tackle the “crisis of growth” minutes before the Belgian was appointed to a second two-and-a-half-year term as EU president.
Mr Van Rompuy, who earns £249,000 a year, more than twice the salary of the British leader, has been accused of doing the bidding of Germany and France and of failing properly to represent all 27 EU countries. » | Bruno Waterfield, in Brussels | Friday, March 02, 2012
