David Cameron has told European Union boss Jean-Claude Juncker that the EU "needs to change" to meet UK voters' concerns.

The Prime Minister is starting a round of talks with EU officials and European partners as he tries to secure a reformed relationship with Brussels ahead of an in/out referendum by 2017.

Mr Cameron welcomed Mr Juncker, the European Commission president, to the official country residence Chequers to discuss potential changes over dinner.

"The Prime Minister underlined that the British people are not happy with the status quo and believe that the EU needs to change in order to better address their concerns," a Number 10 spokeswoman said.

"Mr Juncker reiterated that he wanted to find a fair deal for the UK and would seek to help. They talked through the issue at some length in the spirit of finding solutions to these problems.

"They agreed that more discussion would be needed, including with other leaders, on the best way forward."

Less than a year ago, Mr Cameron had sought to block Mr Junker's appointment to the EU top job by saying it was a "serious mistake".

 

Mr Cameron will embark on a tour of five European capitals later this week to hold talks with key EU leaders over his reform plans.

The British leader will travel first to Denmark for a working breakfast with Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt on Thursday before heading to the Netherlands for talks with Prime Minister Mark Rutte.

He will have dinner with French President Francois Hollande at the Elysee palace in Paris.

On Friday, Cameron will meet Polish Prime Minister Ewa Kopacz in Warsaw and German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Berlin.

In what may be a blow to his hopes, French newspaper Le Monde reported that France and Germany were preparing to unveil a deal at that gathering that would allow further integration of eurozone countries without needing to reopen the EU's ruling treaties.

Le Monde said it had seen a joint document sent by Ms Merkel and Mr Hollande to Mr Juncker on Saturday ahead of a summit in June.

It suggests that a move towards deepening integration between the countries using the single currency can be achieved within the constraints of the existing treaties, reducing the prospect of using treaty change to repatriate powers to London.

Mr Juncker has made clear his opposition to reopening the treaties.

Earlier on Monday, Mr Cameron's Government said most citizens of other EU countries living in Britain will not get to vote in the referendum.

The Government will introduce its EU referendum legislation to Parliament on Thursday.