Von der Leyen expects cooperation "based on agreements" with the United Kingdom, after the first meeting with Sunak

BRUSELAS, 7 Nov. (EUROPA PRESS) -

The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, highlighted on Monday the importance of cooperation "based on agreements" after her first meeting with the new British Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, taking advantage of the fact that both are in Sharm el Sheikh ( Egypt) for the international climate summit.

"I look forward to constructive cooperation between the European Union and the United Kingdom based on our agreements," Von der Leyen said in a brief message posted on his Twitter account after the meeting.

Relations between London and Brussels became tense with the Government of Boris Johnson when he decided to pass a law to prevent the implementation of a large part of the provisions agreed between the United Kingdom and the 27 to prevent the return to a physical border in the Ulster as a result of Brexit.

The conditions of the divorce include a specific protocol for Northern Ireland and facilitating the transit of goods despite the break with the European Union, but London considered after agreeing to this regime that it was detrimental to its interests and did not apply it. Brussels has denounced the United Kingdom for this before the Court of Justice of the EU.

"We face many challenges in common, from addressing climate change to the energy transition, going through Russia's war against Ukraine", summarized the head of the Community Executive, who described this first contact as a "good first meeting" .

The meeting between the two on the margins of the 27th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP27) has been "brief", according to community sources, and it has not transpired if during the talk they have discussed the necessary negotiation to unlock the application of the protocol for the two Irelands or whether they have set a date for a formal meeting at a later date.