EC chief says UK needs to compromise in trade deal with European Union

The European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on December 8 told the United Kingdom that it will not be able to have the "highest quality access" to EU's market after Brexit unless and until it makes significant compromises. Leyen said that it will negotiate a brand new trade deal between the United Kingdom and the European Union with Brexit set to happen on January 31.

'Balance stance needed to have access to EU markets'

According to reports, before her meeting with Boris Johnson on December 8, Leyen said that without a balanced stance on things such as environment, state aid, taxation and labour, one cannot have the highest quality access to European Union's markets.

The official residence of UK PM Boris Johnson, 10 Downing Street, stated that Johnson will most probably talk about the negotiations will be based on the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) and not on the lines of alignment.

The UK is all set to leave the European Union on January 31 with an 11-month long transition period wherein the majority of the relations between both parties will be the same while a new trade deal is negotiated.

According to reports, Britain's PM Boris Johnson is looking towards a free trade deal but he does not want to agree to the rules and standards set by the EU. The UK wants to be independent of the EU rules so that it can ink new trade deals in different parts of the world.

According to reports, officials from the European Union said that it will be difficult to ink a new trade deal in the 11-month transition period. In response, Boris Johnson's office said that citizens belonging to both the EU and Britain are of the expectations that the FTA will be concluded on time.

Read: UK's Johnson To Meet EU Chief As Brexit Trade Talks Loom

Read: UK Economy Being Helped By 'greater Brexit Clarity'

'Will strive to maintain a solid partnership'

French President Emmanuel Macron, on December 31, said that he wants a strong relationship with the United Kingdom post-Brexit. In New Year’s Eve address to the nation, Macron said that the departure of Britain from the European Union is a test for France and he will strive to maintain a solid relationship between the two countries.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is leading the way to ensure the impending Brexit by January 31 after the Conservative Party won the recently-concluded general elections with an overwhelming majority. The huge victory margin is considered as strong support from the people of Britain towards the Brexit since Conservatives had contested the election with a central theme of ‘Get Brexit Done’ and won 365 seats out of 650. 

Read: Uncharted Brexit Waters: UK's Boris Johnson Faces 2020 Tests

Read: Climate Change, Brexit Divorce: EU Faces Challenges In 2020

(With inputs from agencies)