David Cameron's timetable for reform in Europe 'impossible'
A new EU treaty has to be approved in every member state, either by its national parliament or in a referendum...
Charles Grant, director of the Centre for European Reform, an independent think tank dedicated to promoting a reform agenda within the EU, said: “The British government will not have got all the treaty changes ratified by 2017.” He believes the UK may have to ask for what is known in diplomatic jargon as a “postdated cheque” – an assurance that the changes would be implemented in future when they had all been approved by national governments or in referendums.