It will be a long, tortuous process, strewn with potential difficulties. In most areas, although not all, returning powers to Westminster will require a change to EU treaties. The British Government is convinced that fixing the eurozone crisis will need treaties to be altered. Officials in London and Brussels believe that closer EU integration is necessary for the eurozone's survival and that will require a new legal underpinning.
The European Commission has said it will come up with proposals for treaty change by next May, The German government, too, believes that banking union will require a change to the treaties at some stage. That will open the door for the UK to raise its own demands. Treaty change would trigger an inter-governmental conference and any country can bring its own list of proposals. Treaty change requires unanimity and that is both a strength and a weakness for the UK.
Unforgivable sin
If the UK did not get concessions it could potentially block the treaty change but, if that was regarded as essential to helping the eurozone, it would make Britain extremely unpopular. As far as Berlin is concerned that would be the unforgivable sin. At his lengthy news conference on Thursday, French President Francois Hollande said: "I can understand countries don't want to join the euro, but they cannot impede the consolidation and strengthening of the eurozone and if they want to go further and refuse powers, then the risk is of a splintered Europe." In any event, some countries are opposed to any moves which would make the UK a special case. It will be tough to get all 28 countries to agree to Britain winning back some powers.
Also, any significant change to the Lisbon Treaty - the constitutional basis of the EU - would almost certainly trigger referendums. France, in particular, wants to avoid this. The government in Paris is wary of consulting French voters at a time when the mood is increasingly sceptical of Europe. President Hollande has not forgotten that the French people rejected an EU constitution in a referendum. So the French would only want an adjustment to the existing treaties. In one area - justice and home affairs - the UK already has an opt-out, set out in the Lisbon Treaty. It means Britain can stand aside from the European arrest warrant for example.
Arousing suspicions
