"Brexit will now become a reality. The British people have confirmed their 2016 referendum decision," Guy Verhofstadt, the head of the European Parliament's Brexit steering group, recognised on Friday.
The day after British Prime Minister Boris Johnson's crushing election victory, "the European Union must now concentrate on building a fresh, close working partnership with Great Britain that is just and sustainable," Verhofstadt (Open Vld, Renew Europe) urged.
His colleague, the socialist Kathleen Van Brempt (sp.a, S&D) came to the same conclusions: "Brexit will happen."
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In her eyes, the business relationship that it is now necessary to establish with the United Kingdom must be based "on the highest social and durable standards" for "the European Union will not tolerate port duty or economic and social dumping."
Geert Bourgeois (N-VA, CRE) for his part advocates a commercial relationship that is "as close and free-trading as possible." He wants, alongside a business agreement, a treaty on scientific and academic cooperation, the exchange of students, energy, fishing, transport and the North Sea, but also on intelligence and defence.
The Brussels Times
