The European Union announced on Friday that it is postponing its traditional two-day summer summit from its planned start date of June 23, the day that Britain is holding a referendum on its future membership of the bloc.

“The June meeting of the European Council is confirmed for June28-29,” Preben Aamann, the spokesman for EU President Donald Tusk wrote on Twitter, using the formal name for the gatherings of the bloc’s 28 leaders.

The delay is to avoid an overlap with the UK in-out referendum,” an EU source said.

The summit agenda is expected to focus on Europe’s migration crisis, but the leaders’ talks will likely be overshadowed by the referendum outcome.

The EU has offered British Prime Minister, David Cameron a series of concessions aimed at persuading British voters to opt for remaining inside the bloc.

“If they vote instead for a so-called Brexit.’’
This unprecedented move would deliver a heavy blow to the EU and could bring years of uncertainty while London negotiates its new relationship with Brussels.

British opinion polls show that voters are split evenly, while many are still undecided and there are doubts about how high the turnout will be.

(dpa/NAN)