EU president Donald Tusk called for Brexit talks to start as soon as possible as he met British Prime Minister Theresa May in London on Thursday following Britain’s vote to leave the European Union.
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The Prime Minister said she wanted a “smooth” Brexit process and told Tusk they had “serious issues” to discuss.
He added that “I have no doubt that at the end of the day our common strategic goal is to establish the closest possible relations”.
The EU is waiting for the United Kingdom to trigger Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty, the formal step required to start the departure process, which is supposed to take two years.
“So at this summit I argued that we need to deliver an economy that works for everyone – with bold action at home and co-operation overseas”.
She said the prime minister remains “ambitious” to “go after the best deal that we can get for the U.K.” and that planning for negotiations on leaving the bloc is continuing. Such discussions were an “exclusive matter” for the European Union on behalf of its members and “we are sticking to it”, he told reporters.
Britain’s minister in charge of exiting the European Union will set out more detail on the government’s plans for Brexit in a statement to parliament on Monday, amid growing worldwide unease over how it will pan out.
But Mrs May appeared to take aim at critics who have suggested that the Government position is unclear by telling MPs she will not reveal her hand on negotiations “prematurely”.
Ahead of the talks she said she would not be rushed into setting out details of her negotiating plan and would proceed in a “sober and considered way”.
He said the meaning of Brexit was unclear, as were the terms whereby Britain would have access to the European single market.
Gro Brundtland, the former prime minister of Norway, believes that the United Kingdom prime minister Theresa May will have to resign if her government does not follow through with a Brexit.
But Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said it was “unclear” what the government was “trying to do”.
Asked whether Mr Davis was speaking for the Government, the Downing Street spokesperson said it was the minister’s opinion and that there were “differing views” on the subject.
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While the government says it can do the groundwork, Britain cannot formally sign trade agreements until it leaves the EU, and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker has said EU member states should not even negotiate deals while still part of the bloc.
