The European Union on Friday began preparing for a tumultuous end to the UK’s secession, while senior officials prepared to inform the 27 member states of UK PM Boris Johnson’s plans to break the terms of the EU deal, Reuters reported.

Following talks in London on Thursday, the EU's chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier said the bloc is preparing for plans to leave the UK from the EU without an agreement at the end of the year, as trade talks have not made significant progress.

“However, on its side, the UK has not engaged in a reciprocal way on fundamental EU principles and interests,” he said in a statement. “Significant differences remain in areas of essential interest for the EU.”

“Nobody should underestimate the practical, economic and social consequences of a ‘no deal’ scenario,” Barnier said.