Maros Sefcovic addresses lawmakers at the European Parliament in Brussels, Belgium. Francisco Seco/Reuters

Britain must implement the Withdrawal Agreement on its exit from the European Union, regardless of the outcome of ongoing trade talks between the two sides, a senior European Commissioner said on Wednesday.

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“Deal or no deal, the Withdrawal Agreement must be respected,” European Commission Vice President Maros Sefcovic told the European Parliament.

Sefcovic said the EU is committed to reaching a deal on the trade agreement and other aspects of their future relationship, but that the two sides remain “far apart” on the issues of fisheries and the so-called level playing field of fair competition.

“Our objective is still to reach an agreement that will pave the way for a new fruitful relationship between the EU and UK. We will continue to work for such an agreement, but not at any price,” he said.

Reuters