EU chief calls on May to give more clarity on Brexit

By Hajer M'tiri

STRASBOURG

European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker on Tuesday called on British Prime Minister Theresa May to provide more clarity on how the U.K. sees its future relations with the EU.

"It is obvious that we need further clarity from the U.K. if we are to reach an understanding on our future relationship,"Juncker said while addressing the European Parliament.

"As the clock counts down, with one year to go, it is now time to translate speeches into treaties; to turn commitments into agreements; broad suggestions and wishes on the future relationship to specific, workable solutions," he told members of the European Parliament.

Juncker warned the U.K. will "regret" the decision to leave the EU, after he was cheered by Eurosceptic MEPs as he noted the country's departure was due on March 29, 2019.

The head of the European Commission said any future relationship must be durable and not require continual renegotiation.

"I would rather have preferred Britain not to have decided to leave the European Union, but anyone who leaves the European Union has to know, frankly, what this means," he said.

"If you decide to jettison, leave behind, the common agreements and rules, then you have to accept that things cannot remain as they are," Juncker added.

The members of the European Parliament on Wednesday will vote on an advisory resolution which sets out the European Parliament’s recommendations for a long-term U.K.-EU relationship ahead of the upcoming European Council of March 22-23.