France says no-deal Brexit is now its central scenario

[PARIS] The French government is expecting the UK to leave the European Union without a withdrawal agreement, according to an official in President Emmanuel Macron's office.

A so-called no-deal Brexit is now the central scenario for France, the official said, and will mean the immediate imposition of controls on the EU's borders with the UK.

Leaving without a deal won't mean that the British government can write off its financial obligations to the EU, which will still expect payment of about £39 billion (S$65.7 billion), the official said.

The official said Mr Macron is fully aligned with German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Brexit, pointing to her comments this week. What's more, EU leaders won't be swayed by any intervention from US President Donald Trump on this issue, he added.

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson is meeting Ms Merkel in Berlin Wednesday and then will have lunch with Mr Macron in Paris Thursday before they all hold talks with Mr Trump over the weekend at the Group of Seven summit in Biarritz, France.

BLOOMBERG