EU Parliament Head: No Guarantee Legislation on Future UK Deal to Be Passed

According to the European Parliament president, there is no guarantee that legislation on Britain’s future deal with the EU to retain its membership will be passed.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Brussels cannot provide London with a guarantee that legislation on Britain’s future deal with the European Union to retain its membership will be passed, European Parliament President Martin Schulz said Tuesday.

"I can give you a guarantee that the European Parliament will deal immediately after the referendum to stay in to legislate on the coming-up proposal of the commission. But… no government can go to the Parliament and say ‘this is our proposal, can you give a guarantee about the result?’ This is not possible in a democracy," Schulz told reporters after the meeting with British Prime Minister David Cameron.

Cameron pledged to hold a referendum on the United Kingdom's future within the European Union by the end of 2017. Ahead of the vote, the British prime minister is seeking to revise the terms of the country's membership in the bloc, including an exemption from the EU principle of an ever-closer union and curbs for EU immigrants.

The European Parliament chief added that the institution would do its utmost to negotiate a compromise and fair deal with Britain.

The European Council is scheduled to meet in Brussels on February 18-19 to discuss the UK referendum plans.