Cameron to meet Juncker over Brexit negotiations

(LONDON) - British Prime Minister David Cameron will meet European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker in Brussels on Friday, cancelling a previously scheduled visit to Sweden and Denmark, his office said.

The two will "discuss the UK's renegotiation of its membership" of the European Union (EU), Downing Street said in a statement on Wednesday.

"He will therefore no longer be travelling to Sweden and Denmark."

Cameron has outlined a series of planned reforms in Britain's relationship with the EU including restricting access to the British welfare system for people from other parts of Europe.

He has said he is hopeful of reaching a deal at an EU summit next month and would then campaign for Britain to stay in the EU in a referendum he has promised to hold by the end of 2017 at the latest.

A senior government source declined to say whether Cameron or Juncker had requested the meeting.

"As you would expect, as we get closer to the February Council, there are meetings to be held with some of the people most closely involved in the process.

"The opportunity for meeting on Friday has come up, so we are taking that opportunity," the source said, adding that the last-minute meeting with Juncker was "absolutely" a positive development.

Cameron's spokeswoman told reporters: "Across Europe, we are seeing leaders -- whether in the institutions or other countries -- clear that they want to see a deal secured in February.

"The ambition is there. There's clearly more work to do," she said.