European Commission Denies Pressuring UK on Brexit Vote - EU Commissioner

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) – The European Commission is not attempting to influence the outcome of the upcoming Brexit vote in June, which will decide whether the United Kingdom will leave the European Union, European Commission Vice President for the Euro and Social Dialogue Valdis Dombrovskis said on Friday.

"On the European Commission side, to be clear, we are not actively campaigning. We are not going to the UK and saying, ‘Vote stay’," Dombrovskis said in a speech to the Atlantic Council in Washington, DC.

On June 23, UK citizens are scheduled to vote on a referendum on the country’s membership in the European Union. In the past week, the United States, the International Monetary Fund, and others have weighed in on the vote arguing that a UK decision to leave the European Union would have significant economic consequences on the European and global economy.

"The European Commission assessment shows [it] is much more beneficial for both the UK and EU, for the UK to stay in the EU," Dombrovskis said, noting he does not want the Commission to be perceived levying "some kind of outside pressure" on the pending vote.

According to a Friday YouGov poll, the number of Britons who favor staying in the European Union is within only one percent of those who support exiting the bloc.