<p>European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen warned Wednesday that failing to rapidly negotiate a new trade deal after Brexit would hurt Britain more than it would the EU.</p>.<p>"The timetable ahead of us is extremely challenging," she told the European Parliament in Strasbourg.</p>.<p>"In case we cannot conclude an agreement by the end of 2020, we will face again a cliff edge. This would clearly harm our interests but it will impact more the UK than us." Eurosceptic British MEPs laughed at the warning, but it reflects a pessimistic mood among Brussels officials.</p>.<p>Britain is due to leave the European Union on January 31 but will remain in a transitional arrangement until the end of the year while negotiators debate future trade ties.</p>.<p>Under the withdrawal agreement which Prime Minister Boris Johnson has agreed with Europe but not yet pushed through parliament, the UK could ask for a one or two-year extension.</p>.<p>But Johnson, who last week won a comfortable majority in the UK general election, insists he will not ask for more time and is preparing legislation to forbid such a move. In this case, negotiators will only have 11 months to conclude a trade agreement, a task that officials on both sides have warned is extremely ambitious.</p>.<p>"We will organise these negotiations to make the most out of the short period. On February 1 we will be ready to propose a mandate for the negotiations," von der Leyen said.</p>.<p>"I hope... that we will have an unprecedented partnership. This is not the end of something. It is the beginning of new relations between neighbours and I want us to become good neighbours with our friends in the UK. Long live Europe." </p>
<p>European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen warned Wednesday that failing to rapidly negotiate a new trade deal after Brexit would hurt Britain more than it would the EU.</p>.<p>"The timetable ahead of us is extremely challenging," she told the European Parliament in Strasbourg.</p>.<p>"In case we cannot conclude an agreement by the end of 2020, we will face again a cliff edge. This would clearly harm our interests but it will impact more the UK than us." Eurosceptic British MEPs laughed at the warning, but it reflects a pessimistic mood among Brussels officials.</p>.<p>Britain is due to leave the European Union on January 31 but will remain in a transitional arrangement until the end of the year while negotiators debate future trade ties.</p>.<p>Under the withdrawal agreement which Prime Minister Boris Johnson has agreed with Europe but not yet pushed through parliament, the UK could ask for a one or two-year extension.</p>.<p>But Johnson, who last week won a comfortable majority in the UK general election, insists he will not ask for more time and is preparing legislation to forbid such a move. In this case, negotiators will only have 11 months to conclude a trade agreement, a task that officials on both sides have warned is extremely ambitious.</p>.<p>"We will organise these negotiations to make the most out of the short period. On February 1 we will be ready to propose a mandate for the negotiations," von der Leyen said.</p>.<p>"I hope... that we will have an unprecedented partnership. This is not the end of something. It is the beginning of new relations between neighbours and I want us to become good neighbours with our friends in the UK. Long live Europe." </p>