EU and UK 'will not be close' after Brexit

Brexit | | MIC Customs Solutions |

There may be frost in the air between the EU and the UK post-Brexit, Ursula von der Leyen feels.


The new president of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen has warned there may be a cooling-off of the warm relationship currently enjoyed by the UK and the EU once Brexit has been completed.

Speaking at the London School of Economics ahead of a meeting with British prime minister Boris Johnson, Ms von der Leyen also threw cold water on the idea that a comprehensive trade deal will be possible by the end of this year.

However, Mr Johnson has already made it clear he feels a deal is achievable and that there will be no extension to the negotiation process.

Ms von der Leyen said: "The truth is that our partnership cannot and will not be the same as before and it cannot and will not be as close as before because with every choice comes consequences [and] with every decision comes a trade-off."

The former German defence minister stepped into the role vacated by Jean-Claude Juncker in December 2019.

This week marked the first face-to-face meeting between Ms von der Leyen and Mr Johnson, but they were unable to officially launch trade talks based on EU law.

If the UK leaves the EU as scheduled on January 31st 2020, the country will enter an 11-month transition period until December 31st.