London (AFP)

Prime Minister Boris Johnson will insist on wishing to conclude post-Brexit trade negotiations with the European Union in a flash time during a meeting in London on Wednesday with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, a gamble considered difficult by Europeans.

This is the first interview between the Conservative head of government, elected by a large majority in December on the promise to leave the UK out of the EU on January 31, and Ms. von der Leyen since taking office on last month.

"The Prime Minister should stress the importance of approving a future relationship of trust and positive by the end of December 2020," his press service said in a statement, while Europeans expressed doubts about the timetable. tight.

Once out of the European fold, after 47 years of an eventful common life, a transition period will open for the United Kingdom until the end of 2020, supposed to allow a smooth separation, during which the British will continue to apply European rules and benefit from them - without sitting in European institutions or having a say in decisions.

- "Flexibility" -

The divorce agreement between London and Brussels provides that this period may be extended to two years if the parties fail to conclude, within this period of time, the complex agreement which will govern their long-term business relationship. . But Boris Johnson firmly excludes it.

"After waiting more than three years to achieve Brexit, both British and European citizens rightly expect negotiations on an ambitious free trade agreement to be completed on time," he said. It aims for an "ambitious" trade agreement, "not an alignment" with EU rules, the statement said.

For his part, Ursula von der Leyen has already expressed concern about this calendar. "It seems to me that, on both sides, we should seriously ask ourselves if all these negotiations are feasible in such a short time," she said in late December in the French economic daily Les Echos.

EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier also said that agreeing and ratifying a post-Brexit relationship in eleven months would be "a huge challenge".

If he wants to achieve it, Boris Johnson will have to show "flexibility" in the negotiations, warned French President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday, referring to an "ambitious timetable".

And the European Union will be "uncompromising" with the United Kingdom, which will have "to access the European single market (...) respect all (its) rules", said the European Commissioner for the Internal Market and Digital Affairs Thierry Breton, in an interview at Les Echos.

- Taboo "Brexit" -

In addition to a free trade agreement, the EU and the United Kingdom plan to agree on international and security issues.

Boris Johnson wants to anchor in the law implementing the exit agreement negotiated with Brussels, which British MPs resumed consideration this week, the ban on extending the transition period after 2020.

The bill is expected to be passed in the House of Commons on Thursday for promulgation within two weeks. The European Parliament will then have to decide.

And to signify that Boris Johnson is determined to move on after Brexit, which has dominated British political life since the referendum having approved it with 52% of the votes in 2016, the word "Brexit" will become taboo within government, according to a government source.

British Brexit Minister Stephen Barclay and Michel Barnier will also take part in the meeting, scheduled for the afternoon in Downing Street, the Prime Minister's official residence.

© 2020 AFP