BRUSSELS • European Union leaders yesterday welcomed the results of Thursday's election in Britain, saying they would end months of political gridlock over Brexit, although European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen warned that time was "extremely short" for sealing a deal on the EU's new relationship with Britain before the end of next year.

"We aim at zero tariff, zero quotas and zero dumping, and this is very important for us," she told a news conference after British Prime Minister Boris Johnson won a comfortable election victory at home on a promise to get Brexit done by Jan 31 next year.

"We are addressing the challenge that the time is very short, we have 11 months to negotiate a broad field," Ms von der Leyen said.

"And it's not only about trade, but we are also speaking about education, transport, fisheries, many, many other fields are in the portfolio to be negotiated," she added.

On the "first of February, we go to work", she said.

Mr Johnson has said he will look into introducing the Withdrawal Agreement Bill before Christmas, with the aim of the House of Commons passing it in good time before the Brexit deadline of Jan 31.

The 11-month transition period will start from the end of January, during which time Mr Johnson will get down to thrashing out a trade deal with the EU. He will first need Parliament to sign off on his negotiating objectives, and the EU will also need to get approval for its mandate. Mr Johnson promised during the election campaign not to extend the transition period, so, if the talks fail, Britain will leave the EU without a trade agreement at the end of next year.

French President Emmanuel Macron yesterday expressed hope that the Brexit agreement would be ratified as quickly as possible by the British Parliament.

"The time for clarity has come," Mr Macron said when he congratulated the British Prime Minister.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Mr Johnson's decisive victory would help negotiations on the future EU-United Kingdom relationship and may help "reunite" Britain. "We now have some security that the agreement we worked on will be valid," she told reporters after a summit in Brussels. "That means a disorderly Brexit is really no longer a reality."

EU Council president Charles Michel, however, warned that the 27 member states would not accept a deal blindly, stressing that the bloc would insist Britain respect European norms to win a deal.

"There is no question of concluding a deal at any price, said Mr Michel, who coordinates EU summits, after the talks.

In a text released after the talks, the 27 EU leaders called for "as close as possible a future relationship with the UK", while warning that it "will have to be based on a balance of rights and obligations and ensure a level playing field".

EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier will direct trade negotiations, which the leaders will follow closely "and provide further guidance as necessary, fully consistent with the EU's best interest", the statement added.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, ASSOCIATED PRESS

Key dates

DEC 13

New British government

Prime Minister Boris Johnson's election victory propels Britain towards a swift Brexit.

DEC 17

Parliament resumes

Newly elected MPs will choose a Speaker of the House of Commons, and are likely to reappoint Sir Lindsay Hoyle, who was elected at the end of the last Parliament, on Nov 4. The 650 MPs are then sworn in.

DEC 19

Queen's Speech

Mr Johnson plans to move quickly to set out his government's legislative agenda, in the form of the Queen's Speech.

Queen Elizabeth will read out the list of Bills Mr Johnson hopes to implement, during a ceremony in the unelected Upper House of Lords. Officials plan a "slimmed-down" event because of the early election and the proximity to Christmas, with the monarch arriving without full regalia or cavalry.

JAN 31, 2020

Brexit day

Britain is due to leave the European Union on Jan 31, the fourth deadline since the 2016 referendum.

The Johnson win will see him seek to get the exit terms he has agreed with Brussels through Parliament before this date, to ensure a smooth departure.

Trade talks can begin within weeks.

JULY 1, 2020

Trade talks deadline

If Brexit happens, Britain will enter a transition phase, where its relationship with the EU will remain the same in practice until Dec 31 next year.

This is intended to allow the two sides time to agree to a new trade and security partnership.

Britain can ask to extend the period for one or two years, but must inform the EU of its request by July 1.

After that, there will be no further opportunities to extend.

DEC 31, 2020

Transition ends

The date that existing relations between Britain and the EU are finally severed.

Without a new deal, or an extension to the transition period, cross-Channel trade, transportation and a multitude of other ties risk being severely disrupted.