The president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, said on Monday that she hopes that the next British prime minister, Liz Truss, will respect the agreements signed between the two blocs.
“I look forward to a constructive relationship, with full respect for our agreements,” von der Leyen said in a message posted on his Twitter account.
The leader of the community executive congratulated Truss on his election as leader of the British Conservative Party, which will soon succeed Boris Johnson as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.
Congratulations @trussliz.
The EU and the UK are partners.We face many challenges together, from climate change to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
I look forward to a constructive relationship, in full respect of our agreements.
– Ursula von der Leyen (@vonderleyen) September 5, 2022
The President of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola, also used her Twitter account to congratulate the new British Conservative leader, stressing that the two blocs are “natural friends and allies” and considering that “democracies must remain united, in opposition to the autocracy and aggression”.
congratulations to @trusslizthe next Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.
The EU and the UK are natural friends and allies, with the same fundamental interests at heart.
Democracies must stand united, opposing autocracy and aggression.
@Europarl_ES will always be a partner for people.– Roberta Metsola (@EP_President) September 5, 2022
For his part, the commissioner in charge of negotiating the terms of the agreements with London, Maros Sefcovic, has underlined the “great strategic importance” of a good relationship between Brussels and London.
Truss got 81,326 of the Conservative Party’s roughly 180,000 base votes, while rival Rishi Sunak, a former finance minister, got 60,399, said Graham Brady, chairman of the 1922 Committee, the party council responsible for the process.
The result was expected and confirms the advantage registered in several polls published since July.
Truss, 47, will be Britain’s third female prime minister, after Margaret Thatcher and Theresa May, and the fourth politician to hold the post in six years.
The European Union-United Kingdom Trade and Cooperation Agreement and the Information Security Agreement, signed between London and Brussels after ‘Brexit’ (the process of British exit from the EU bloc), have been in force since 1 May 2021.
London backtracked on the implementation of the trade agreement, particularly with regard to relations with the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland, with Brussels filing a complaint with the EU Court of Justice.
Source: TSF
