David Cameron, who will then be flying on to Madrid, is starting this second round of meetings to try and stir up support for his agenda, which implies alterations to the European Union treaties and includes more robust powers for national parliaments and reduced freedom of movement for people.


The British prime minister has said he wants to close the negotiations with the European partners before holding an internal referendum on whether the UK stays in the European Union or pulls out – a commitment he gave in the campaign for the general election in the UK on 7 May, which his party won with an absolute majority.


This meeting comes at a time when the European Union is faced with thousands of refugees who are trying to reach Europe and in a pre-campaign atmosphere in Portugal in the run up to the 4 October general elections which see the current centre-right coalition standing together for the next term.