The European Union is looking forward to having zero tariffs, zero quotas, and zero dumping in trade with Great Britain after Brexit, the new president of the European Commission told reporters on Friday.
Speaking after a two-day summit of European leaders, Ursula von der Leyen expressed hope that the new U.K. parliament would soon ratify the Brexit agreement and the country could leave the EU on Jan. 31, as agreed at the previous EU summit in October.
Britain鈥檚 Conservative Party won Thursday鈥檚 snap elections with a strong majority, giving Prime Minister Boris Johnson the political capital to carry out his pledge to deliver on Brexit.
According to von der Leyen, the EU will have 鈥渁n unprecedented partnership鈥� with the UK, and Brexit is 鈥渘ot the end, but the beginning of excellent relations with between neighbors.鈥�
However, she admitted that the previously agreed 11-month transition period between Feb. 1 and Jan. 31, 2020 is 鈥渧ery short鈥� to figure out the details of the post-Brexit relationship in trade and other policy areas.
In a separate press conference, German Chancellor Angela Merkel echoed this view, saying she expects 鈥渋ntense negotiations鈥� over future free trade ties between the bloc and the UK.
European heads of states and governments on Friday also discussed their views of the future of the eurozone. The main goal is to raise the euro鈥檚 role in international trade and finance, but as von der Leyen argued, the EU needs to 鈥渃omplete its homework鈥� by completing the banking union and capital market union.
On the first day of the European Council meeting, EU leaders reaffirmed their commitment for climate neutrality by 2050, but failed to unanimously agree on the implementation due to Poland鈥檚 concerns.
At the closing press conference, Sanna Marin, Finland鈥檚 new prime minister, expressed her hope to 鈥渇ind the way forward soon.鈥� She also called the commitment for 2050 carbon neutrality a 鈥渟trong signal for citizens,鈥� who expect climate action from their governments.
Merkel also said she understood the view of her Polish counterpart, Mateusz Morawiecki, given that the green economic transition would cost 4% of Poland鈥檚 annual GDP.
She also acknowledged that coal constitutes 80% of Poland鈥檚 energy consumption, versus only 35% for Germany.
EU leaders are set to revisit the topic in June 2020.
By Agnes Szucs in Brussels
Anadolu Agency
energy@aa.com.tr