European Commissioner for Economic and Financial Affairs Pierre Moscovici meets with Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras (not pictured) at the Maximos Mansion in Athens, Greece, January 16, 2019. REUTERS/Costas Baltas

PARIS (Reuters) - The European Union and United Kingdom are getting close to a “no-deal” Brexit that neither party wants, in the wake of Prime Minister Theresa May’s parliament defeat, said EU economics commissioner Pierre Moscovici.

“No-one wants a ‘no-deal’ Brexit, but we are getting close to this,” Moscovici told France 2 television on Wednesday.

Asked whether Britain could have a second referendum which could result in a U-turn and a decision to stay in the European Union, Moscovici replied that European legal bodies had said this was possible.