Michel Barnier, the EU’s chief Brexit negotiator heavily criticised UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson for saying that he will not follow “high-alignment” EU rules now that the country has officially left the bloc.

Barnier said that Johnson is taking “two or three steps backwards” and that he is breaking previously agreed commitments.

“We must be clear – the political declaration that was agreed, word-for-word and line-for-line, with Boris Johnson last October remains and will remain the foundation of all negotiations,” said Barnier. “This includes negotiating strong guarantees to ensure fair competition and high common standards.

With the EU having already presented its negotiating stance earlier in February, Barnier and EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen addressed MEPs during Tuesday’s Strasbourg plenary session as the European Parliament debated a resolution on its stance on the EU-UK Partnership which will be put to a vote on Wednesday.