The ALDE group leader said, "The UK election is an internal affair but clearly Brexit will be the key element of it.
"This means there will be an opportunity for the UK citizens to express themselves on how they see the future relationship between their country and the EU."
The Belgian MEP added, "As Parliament's Brexit negotiator, I will work with a new government for the best common future possible."
Further EU reaction to the news came from UK Socialist MEP David Martin who told this website, "I hope the voters will deliver a tough message to Brexiteers."
With Scottish Nationalists pressing for a second independence referendum, Martin said, "The mad (Boris), bad (Ian Duncan smith) and dangerous (David Davis) should be a particular target of a save Britain campaign."
Elsewhere, Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said the decision to call an election was "a huge political miscalculation" and accused May of "putting the interests of her party ahead of those of the country."
British MEP Paul Nuttall, leader of Ukip, said the election "is driven by Labour's obvious weakness, not the good of the country."