THE European Commission has warned governments, businesses and citizens in the other 27 EU countries to prepare for “significant disruption” as a result of Brexit.

Brussels officials said a no-deal cliff-edge withdrawal in March next year cannot be ruled out, and warned that “preparation must therefore be stepped up immediately at all levels and taking into account all possible outcomes”.

The move comes after the UK Government announced it will produce around 70 “technical notices” over the coming weeks, setting out necessary preparations in the UK for a possible EU exit without agreement.

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Theresa May yesterday made her first visit to the Irish border since the referendum, amid growing signs of unrest on the Conservative backbenches over her Chequers plans for a softer Brexit.

Shipley MP Philip Davies became the third Tory to declare publicly that he has submitted a letter of no confidence in her leadership, saying he had lost trust in her ability to deliver Brexit.

The European Commission released its report as Dominic Raab made his first visit to Brussels as Brexit Secretary for talks with chief EU negotiator Michel Barnier.

Barnier said there was “a lot of work to do” in the 13 weeks until the October European Council meeting, including finalising the withdrawal agreement. He added: “It is a matter of urgency to agree a legally operative backstop for Ireland and Northern Ireland. We need an all-weather insurance policy.”

Raab said he was looking forward to discussing the Government’s white paper and getting stuck in “with renewed energy, vigour and vim”. He said: “As Michel has told us, the clock is ticking, so I’m looking forward to intensifying, heating up the negotiations and making sure we are in the best position to get the best deal.”

The 16-page Commission document warned of the possibility of long queues at borders and ports, disruption to air travel and new restrictions on data transfers. A no-deal Brexit could mean “significant delays” to transport and be “significant drawback” for trade, while UK individuals and organisations could suddenly become ineligible to apply for EU grants and bid for EU contracts, it said. Products may require new authorisations and certifications, while professionals might need to have their qualifications recognised by an EU27 state as well as the UK.

The Commission insisted its advice to plan for the worst possible scenario was not “a sign of mistrust in the negotiations”, which are supposed to deliver a withdrawal agreement and a political declaration on future relations by October.

The document said it is devoting significant resources and committing great efforts to achieve an agreement. It said: “This remains our goal. However, the outcome of negotiations cannot be predicted.”

May is holding a series of meetings with grassroots Tories in a bid to boost support for her Brexit stance. But after a fortnight of turmoil, her former joint chief of staff Nick Timothy described the situation as “deeply depressing”.