No-deal preparations were not discussed by EU leaders: Official

The European Union has no plan to address a possible rejection of Sunday's Brexit deal in the British parliament other than its current planning for Britain leaving without a deal, a senior EU official said.

Asked after the treaty was endorsed at a summit about what the EU was doing to prepare for possible new negotiations, the official said: "The only Plan B that is going on is preparedness planning. This work continues."

The official added that those no-deal preparations were not discussed by leaders on Sunday and nor was there any discussion among the leaders or with British Prime Minister Theresa May of "what if" questions relating to the British parliamentary vote, expected to take place days before an EU summit on Dec. 13-14.

He dismissed suggestions of any difference of views among leaders on whether negotiations with Britain could be reopened: "There is a common appreciation that what is on the table is the only possible deal given the positions of the United Kingdom," he said.

Asked if there could be further talks, he said: "After this long, long process, I can't see how you can ever go there."