Juncker: There will not be a renegotiation of the Brexit agreement

The chief of the European Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker, said at a press conference with President Klaus Iohannis at Cotroceni Palace on Friday that EC representatives are in permanent contact with the Cabinet of the British Prime Minister, but that this does not imply a renegotiation of Brexit.

“I do not want to engage myself now either in speculation nor in reciprocity. The commission said there would be no renegotiation, and I said we could provide clarifications only. Of course we are in contact with the British Prime Minister’s Cabinet, but please not to confuse this with a renegotiation, especially with regard to the backstop. I do not think it would be wise to reveal all the details of the ongoing discussions right now,” said Juncker.

Juncker noted that on January 15, the Brexit agreement will be voted in the House of Commons.

“I hope we have an agreement, I do not want an exit of the United Kingdom without an agreement, because it would be a catastrophe for both British citizens and the entire European continent. That is why we must make every effort from now until Tuesday, until the vote in the British Parliament, for this important project to not fail,” he said.

Juncker also said that he and Romanian president Klaus Iohannis had agreed on a “very good” preparation of the EU Council meeting in Sibiu on May 9. He added that the meeting would be “dedicated to stability” , given that by then the UK will have left the EU.

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“We have to demonstrate to everyone, including those who see us from the outside, that the EU is re-launching now, having a new beginning, is a new stage in its long history, which has never been too quiet. We will deliver results,” the EC President said.