Invitation to the Discussion United Kingdom and the EU: Is Britain's Exit (Brexit) a Realistic Scenario? Date Tuesday, 7th May 2013, 6.00 p.m. Venue Karl-Renner-Institut, Kreisky-Saal Entrance: Gartenhotel Altmannsdorf (Hotel 1) Hoffingergasse 26-28, 1120 Vienna EMMA REYNOLDS, Member of Parliament, Labour Party, Shadow Minister for Europe Moderation KARL A. DUFFEK, Director of the Karl-Renner-Institut Contents The United Kingdom and the European Union have always had a complex relationship. In January 2013, David Cameron's EU speech gave a new momentum to these relations. He announced that he would seek a referendum on British withdrawal from the EU by the end of 2017, under the prerequisite that he is re-elected. EU partners reacted coldly to Cameron’s demand for a renegotiation of the terms of British membership. The Labour Party heavily criticised Cameron’s speech and his government’s policy towards the EU. The visit of Labour Shadow Europe Minister Reynolds to Vienna gives the opportunity to discuss several questions concerning the present and future state of UK-EU relations. Where do British interests really lie? Is it likely that the EU will be reformed according to Cameron’s wishes? How likely is a referendum and what would be the outcome? And what can and should the EU and its member states do in order to improve the image of the Union? Emma Reynolds Emma Elizabeth Reynolds has been Member of Parliament since 2010. In October 2011, she was promoted by Labour leader, Ed Miliband, to the position of Shadow Europe Minister. Prior to her political career she worked from 2001 to 2004 in Brussels as a political adviser to Robin Cook then President of the Party of European Socialists. Afterwards she was special advisor to then Minister for Europe and Labour Chief Whip Geoff Hoon. For Emma Reynolds Britain's membership of the European Union is in the national interest of the United Kingdom. Registration Karl-Renner-Institut [email protected] Fax 01-804 08 74 .