EU ready to start talks on future with Britain immediately after Brexit as ‘citizens deserve certainty’

The European Union is ready to start talks over its future relationship with Britain as soon as Britain leaves the bloc, Reuters quoted a senior EU official as saying on Wednesday. The statement comes ahead of a meeting of EU leaders to discuss Brexit on Friday.

Britain will hold parliamentary elections on Thursday after years of negotiations on the terms of its withdrawal from the EU did not produce a result that would get sufficient support in the British parliament.

UK election results are likely to be known early on Friday. “Whatever these results will be, the message from the EU is that we are ready to start negotiations on the future of our relations as soon as Brexit takes place. EU citizens but also EU businesses deserve certainty,” the senior EU official said.