Brussels: Reacting to the announcement of Britain Prime Minister Theresa May's resignation on June 7, the European Union has said that the proposed resignation would not affect its position on the Brexit withdrawal deal that its members agreed with the United Kingdom.
EU Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker noted May's decision "without personal joy," a spokeswoman said, adding that the council of EU leaders has "set out its position" on the Brexit deal.
Some of the candidates to replace May as leader of the Conservative Party and thus prime minister have said they would seek to change the terms of the divorce deal she negotiated.
But commission spokeswoman Mina Andreeva old reporters that the other 27 EU leaders had approved the deal as it stands and that there are no plans to re-open its terms.
As has long been the case, Brussels could envisage modifying a non-binding political declaration that accompanies the Brexit treaty to flesh out ambitions for future EU-UK ties.
But the withdrawal agreement, which May tried and failed three times to get past the British parliament, is not up for renegotiation, Andreeva said, reiterating the EU stance.
Juncker, she said, "very much liked and appreciated working with Prime Minister May and, as he said before, Theresa May is a woman of courage for whom he has great respect.
"He will equally respect and establish working relations with any new prime minister, whoever they may be, without stoping his conversations with Prime Minister May," she added.
