Both sides in Brexit talks say progress is being made but without any breakthrough on the crucial issue of the Irish border.
Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab said he was "stubbornly optimistic" about getting a deal after talks in Brussels.
Unresolved issues include intellectual property, data protection and the role of the European Court of Justice.
EU negotiator Michel Barnier said he needed detail from the UK on its plan to avoid a hard border in Ireland.
He told journalists that remaining "bones of contention" between the two sides were being steadily eliminated with particular progress on issues of security, judicial and defence co-operation after "long" talks on Friday. [...]
He told reporters: "We're committed to resolving the deal by (the October council) and ultimately on my side I am stubbornly optimistic that a deal is within our reach."
Mr Barnier said there was a "measure of flexibility" and if the process slipped by a "few days or weeks" it would still be possible for the UK to leave the EU with a deal, if approved by the UK and EU Parliaments, on schedule.
The EU negotiator said the "building blocks" of an agreement were falling into place.
He repeated his offer of an "unprecedented" future partnership with the UK but insisted this depended on an "orderly" withdrawal and settling key outstanding issues.
He said the question of the Irish border had come down to "minutiae" and he needed to see the detail of how the UK proposed to manage cross-border trade between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland in the event of there being no other solution - the so-called backstop - would work in practice.
"This backstop is critical," he said. "It is essential to concluding the negotiations. Without a backstop, there will be no agreement." [...]
Full article on BBC
Statement by Michel Barnier following his meeting with Dominic Raab, UK Secretary of State for Exiting the EU
Related article on POLITICO: Michel Barnier: EU will offer UK unprecedented deal
Related article on Bloomberg: Barnier Warns Irish Backstop Deal Is Urgent to Unlock Brexit
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