(Brussels) Today, the European Commission submitted a recommendation to the EU Council to start negotiating a new partnership with the United Kingdom. “This recommendation is based on the existing guidelines and conclusions of the European Council as well as on the Political Declaration agreed upon between the EU and the United Kingdom in October 2019”. The European Commission’s recommendation “includes a comprehensive proposal that lays down the scope and conditions of the future partnership that the European Union expects to have with the United Kingdom”. The negotiations will concern areas of common interest, “including financial and business cooperation, police and legal cooperation in criminal matters, foreign policies, security and defence, participation in the European Union’s programmes and other themed areas of cooperation”. The president of the EU Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, states: “it’s time to start working. Time is running out. We will negotiate fairly and transparently, but we’ll defend the interests of the EU and the interests of our citizens, down to the end”. Michel Barnier, head negotiator of the European Commission, adds: “We will negotiate in good faith. The European Commission will keep working in close contact with the European Parliament and the European Council. Our job will be to defend and advance the interests of our citizens and of the EU countries, while trying to find solution that comply with the choices made by the United Kingdom”.