European Commissioner for Economic and Financial Affairs Pierre Moscovici presents the EU executive’s economic forecasts during a news conference at the EU Commission headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, July 10, 2019. REUTERS/Francois Lenoir
August 27, 2019
PARIS (Reuters) – Britain would still have to honor all its financial obligations made during its membership of the European Union even if a ‘no-deal’ Brexit occurred, said EU Economics Commissioner Pierre Moscovici on Tuesday.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said that if Britain leaves without a deal, it will no longer legally owe the 39 billion pound ($47.9 billion) divorce bill agreed by his predecessor.
However, Moscovici said this was not the case.
“The British will have to settle their payments, and their financial contributions in all circumstances, regardless of whether there’s a deal or a ‘no-deal’,” Moscovici told Europe 1 radio.
“There is no room for discussion on this,” he added.
(Reporting by Sudip Kar-Gupta; Editing by Mathieu Rosemain)
