The European Commission confirmed that Brexit negotiations will officially start after the British general election on June 8. European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker spoke with U.K. Prime Minister Theresa May over the phone the night before the press briefing on April 19.
European Commission chief spokesman Margaritis Schinas addressed the press at the briefing, he responded to issues such as two EU agencies currently located in the U.K. The agencies employ more than a thousand people in London and the U.K. wants the agencies to stay but EU sent a clear response.
“The European Union agencies must be based in the territory of the European Union,” said Schinas. “The decision to relocate the European Medicines Agency and the European Banking Authority is a decision for the 27 member states to take. It is not part of the Brexit negotiations, it is rather a consequence of Brexit.”
