EU budget talks delayed as leaders set out red lines

The long-awaited EU budget summit has begun on an uncertain note with a two hour delay to the start of talks.

EU officials had expected the first working session of talks to start at 20h30 Thursday evening, but with the 'confessional' meetings between EU leaders and European Council President Herman van Rompuy overrunning, negotiations are not expected to start before 11pm and not expected to finish until the early hours of Friday.

Van Rompuy is expected to provide a revised budge...