EU Council chief Donald Tusk, updating MEPs on Brexit progress (or rather lack of) at last week's summit, says: 'It was made clear by the UK that more time is needed to find a precise solution. Therefore there’s no other way but to continue the talks. '
Tusk on transition: 'Since PM May mentioned the idea of extending the transition period, let me repeat that if the UK decided that such an extension would be helpful to reach a deal I’m sure that the leaders would be ready to consider it positively.'
Tusk says no deal is 'an outcome which we hope never to see'. On a November summit he adds: 'I stand ready to convene a European Council if and when the Union negotiator reports that decisive progress has been made. The Brexit talks continue with the aim of reaching a deal.'
Commission deputy chief Frans Timmermans, deputising for Jean-Claude Junkcer, tells MEPs on Brexit: 'As was clear after the EU Council, the bottom line is that we do not yet have the decisive progress that we need.'
Timmermans adds: 'The goodwill and determination to find an agreement as soon as possible are there, but it’s also clear that we will not rush a deal through at the expense of our principles or our agreed commitments, most notably on the Irish border question.'
Timmermans ends by saying all 27 EU leaders expressed full support for Michel Barnier as their chief negotiator. He says: 'With all of this in mind we must now continue negotiating with patience, calm and an open mind. It is time to deliver and we’re getting on with the job.'
