UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson laid out his plans for the UK's post Brexit relationship with the EU, in London on Monday, saying there was "no need" for any UK-EU trade agreement to follow EU rules.

"There is no need for a free trade agreement to involve accepting EU rules on competition policy, subsidies, social protection, the environment, or anything similar," stated Johnson.

The prime minister also remarked on the model that the UK wanted to follow, saying that "We've made a choice: we want a comprehensive free trade agreement, similar to Canada's."

However, Johnson did concede that "in the unlikely event that we do not succeed, then our trade will have to be based on our existing Withdrawal Agreement with the EU."

While Johnson spoke, the EU's head Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier asserted that the "ambitious" deal required a "level playing field" and also argued that there should be reciprocal access to fishing waters, during a speech in Brussels.

Britain officially left the EU on January 31st and now have until December 2020 to finalise any trade agreement, a date that European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen described as "impossible to reach" just last month. Johnson however, has repeatedly insisted that a deal will be possible within this time frame.