"The basic foundations of this agreement are ready and theoretically we could accept a deal," said European Council President Donald Tusk, who will chair the summit. The leaders will also contend at the summit with other challenges facing the EU, which has been torn in recent years by euroscepticism and economic disparities. Member states have yet to agree how much individual countries should contribute, a question made all the more difficult by proposals to end a system of rebates. The summit will also be a chance for EU leaders to find common ground on climate targets ahead of a UN summit in Chile in December. In 2018, the majority of EU states agreed on a 40% reduction, a goal some have criticised as not ambitious enough.

Source: bd News24 October 17, 2019 04:07 UTC