Commenting on the outcome of the General Election in the United Kingdom, Manfred Weber MEP, Chairman of the EPP Group in the European Parliament, said:
“It is good to have clarity for the first time in years. We are looking forward to the swift adoption of our agreement in the House of Commons. Brexit is a mistake, but short-term pain is better than long-term pain. Let’s get it done.”
“The new Prime Minister wants to get a UK-EU trade deal done in one year. We are ready for a good relationship but one thing is very clear: the European Union will protect its interests in the negotiations“, Weber added. “We need the UK as a strong partner, but being outside the EU means losing the benefits of EU membership, also because the future trade deal will define the future relationships of other non-member countries with the EU”, he said.
“The European Parliament and all other parliaments in Europe will need to approve a trade deal. The UK has to accept a level playing field to get access to the Single Market.
Negotiations on any trade agreement will be much more complicated than the Brexit agreement”, Manfred Weber concluded.