EU Brexit chief criticises British negotiator

The European Union's top Brexit legislator is criticising British negotiator David Davis for his comments that last week's agreement between the EU and Britain was merely "a statement of intent."

The EU Parliament's top Brexit official, Guy Verhofstadt, said it was an "unacceptable description" to call the deal anything less than a "legally enforceable text."

Davis' comments Sunday have caused unease in the EU. Verhofstadt told reporters at the EU legislature that Davis' statement "is really undermining the trust that is necessary in such negotiations."

An EU summit starting Thursday must approve the Brexit agreement for the negotiations to move on to the next phase, and the parliament also has to back the overall agreement for Britain to leave the EU on 29 March 2019.

Verhofstadt was joined by Germany in the EU chorus of complaints facing Davis.

"One should act and speak exactly the same way here as in London," deputy foreign minister Michael Roth said on the sidelines of a meeting in Brussels Tuesday, German news agency dpa reported.

He said he was surprised that the British government's communication in Brussels was "somewhat different" to its communication in London.

British Prime Minister Theresa May also stepped in. Her official spokesman James Slack said the British government was fully committed to keeping its side of the deal.

"The agreement that was reached last week is a political agreement but that will move forward into a Withdrawal Agreement which will be legally binding," he said.