EU Referendum: UK reform proposals do not go down well with leaders of EU member states

Prime Minister David Cameron may have hammered out a deal with European Council President Donald Tusk but he now faces an uphill task in convincing member states to back his proposed reforms. An EU source claims that none of the EU member state leaders seem happy with the UK's reform proposals.

An EU source told the BBC that Cameron now faces two weeks of "difficult" negotiations to get all the member states to back the UK's proposal. "In a sense, this is a good sign: it means there is some kind of balance in the proposal."

The source added: "There is a lot of frustration and concerns. It's clear the negotiations are going to be difficult."

There are two sticking points on Cameron's proposals. The first involves changing the EU rules to make it easier for member states to get together to block EU laws and the second pertains to protection for non-eurozone countries.

Both proposals by the UK would require inclusion in future EU treaties. The EU source said that some member states had indicated to Tusk that this is "unacceptable."

Cameron's other proposals - the "emergency brake" on in-work benefits and to exempt the UK from an "ever closer union," - has not gone down well either with EU member states. The prime minister hopes to get a final deal on his proposed reform package at a summit on 18-19 February.

Eastern European member countries are expected to meet next week before providing a joint response to the UK's proposed reform package. Hungary's foreign minister Peter Szijjarto expressed concern over the UK's move to restrict EU nationals' benefits as it may result in other larger member states imposing similar moves.

President Martin Schulz, President of the European Parliament who met with Cameron on 4 February for talks at Downing Street, later said that the negotiations were "not at the end of the process" but that he was "optimistic" of finding a compromise.

Cameron promises to stop speaking publicly about reform benefits

Separately, a Cabinet source told the BBC that Cameron has promised to stop speaking publicly about the benefits of his proposed EU reform deal until the negotiations are completed. "There is agreement that the rules should be the same for both sides and that no member of the cabinet should speak out until the PM has returned from Brussels with his deal," the source said.

The source continued: "Downing Street has given a renewed guarantee that everyone will be held to those rules equally." Cameron has stopped members from his own cabinet from speaking out in favour of a Brexit until the talks are concluded.