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The European Union could survive without Britain but not without France, outgoing EU President Herman Van Rompuy said.

Van Rompuy gave his views on the blocs future map and the threat of a U.K. exit in a farewell speech late yesterday in Paris. He said the rest of the EU would go only so far to keep Britain in.

Europe would be wounded, even amputated, without the U.K. -- and we have to do everything to prevent that -- but would survive, Van Rompuy said, according to a text released by his office. Without France, Europe -- the European idea -- would be dead.

U.K. Prime Minister David Cameron has pledged to renegotiate Britains EU membership terms and hold a referendum on a possible exit from the bloc in 2017 if he is re-elected next May. Two of Camerons Conservative lawmakers have defected to the U.K. Independence Party, which seeks complete withdrawal from the EU, and have retained their House of Commons seats in special elections.

To be sure, Van Rompuy hailed Britains constructive approach to the EU budget, climate-change policy and unified bank regulation in the euro region, and gave it credit for taking the lead on European policy toward Iran and Syria.

Ive never had a reason to complain about the British, said Van Rompuy, whose term largely overlapped with Camerons.

Van Rompuy challenged the British governments argument that Cameron wielded a veto in 2011 against a deficit-limitation treaty meant to stabilize the euro. Van Rompuy called it an unfortunate veto attempt. The treaty went ahead without the U.K.

While other European leaders will seriously consider Camerons plea for the reduction of EU powers, the blocs fundamental principles are non-negotiable, Van Rompuy said.

Former U.K. Prime Minister John Major said in Berlin two weeks ago Britains chances of leaving the bloc are just under 50 percent.

Van Rompuy will be succeeded Dec. 1 by Donald Tusk, a former prime minister of Poland.

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Van Rompuy Takes Valedictory Swipe at U.K. While Praising France