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Brexit: Theresa May appeals to EU leaders for progress Brexit: EU leaders pave way for future trade talks
(35 minutes later)
Theresa May made a personal appeal to EU leaders for the Brexit talks to move on to the subject of trade at a working dinner in Brussels. EU leaders have agreed to start preparing for trade talks with the UK - as Theresa May admits there is "some way to go" in negotiations.
The prime minister is reported to have asked for a deal she could "defend" to the British people. As expected, her 27 EU counterparts agreed at a Brussels summit that not enough progress had been made on other issues to begin formal trade talks now.
Her fellow EU leaders said on Friday there had not been enough progress in negotiations to start discussing trade with the UK. But by starting internal talks, they are paving the way for them to begin, possibly in December.
But they have agreed to begin talking about it among themselves. Mrs May said she was "ambitious and positive" about the negotiations.
The other 27 EU leaders have gathered in Brussels for a crunch summit to assess the progress made so far in Brexit negotiations with the UK, which is due to leave the EU in March 2019, following last year's referendum result.The other 27 EU leaders have gathered in Brussels for a crunch summit to assess the progress made so far in Brexit negotiations with the UK, which is due to leave the EU in March 2019, following last year's referendum result.
They have officially concluded that "insufficient progress" has been made in negotiations over citizens' rights, the UK's financial obligation and the border in Northern Ireland to allow them to move onto the second phase of talks with the UK dealing with trade discussions, after a discussion lasting just 90 seconds.They have officially concluded that "insufficient progress" has been made in negotiations over citizens' rights, the UK's financial obligation and the border in Northern Ireland to allow them to move onto the second phase of talks with the UK dealing with trade discussions, after a discussion lasting just 90 seconds.
But European Council president Donald Tusk said they had given the green light to preparations for the "second phase" of Brexit talks, dealing with trade.But European Council president Donald Tusk said they had given the green light to preparations for the "second phase" of Brexit talks, dealing with trade.
Speaking after the summit, Mrs May said: "I am ambitious and positive for Britain's future and for these negotiations but I know we still have some way to go."
The prime minister made a personal appeal to her EU counterparts at a working dinner last night, telling them that "we must work together to get to an outcome that we can stand behind and defend to our people", a senior government source told the BBC's Laura Kuenssberg.The prime minister made a personal appeal to her EU counterparts at a working dinner last night, telling them that "we must work together to get to an outcome that we can stand behind and defend to our people", a senior government source told the BBC's Laura Kuenssberg.
AnalysisAnalysis
By BBC Europe correspondent Kevin Connolly By BBC Political Editor Laura Kuenssberg
Theresa May issued a powerful call to the 27 EU leaders to join her in creating a Brexit deal that she will be able to stand behind and defend. It is not what the original UK government plan was - that this autumn the EU would get on with working out the big picture.
She told them she had listened both to them, and to voices in Britain, before offering money and movement on crucial issues in her Florence speech last month. But it means that Theresa May does not go home empty-handed.
Most of the leaders said little or nothing as they left - the evening ran late after a difficult debate on Turkey - but those who did, like Angela Merkel, acknowledged the progress made so far while continuing to insist on more. At her press conference this morning she was able to hail progress.
The summit won't look like a disaster for the UK's negotiators - they will get a public indication that the EU is preparing for trade talks whenever they might come. But by agreeing to talk about talks, this tricky process has only moved forward a couple of inches in a journey of many many miles.
But attention now shifts to the December summit, and the British need for a breakthrough there grows greater with every passing week. And there are still big questions - how much are we willing to pay, how closely aligned do we want to be with the EU in the future?
How will the Conservative Party and the cabinet manage to get to a common place on their ambitions for Brexit when there are such internal divisions?
Read Laura's blog
BBC Europe editor Katya Adler said all EU leaders knew Mrs May was in a politically difficult situation and did not want her to go home empty handed, so had promised they would start talking about trade and transition deals among themselves, as early as Monday.BBC Europe editor Katya Adler said all EU leaders knew Mrs May was in a politically difficult situation and did not want her to go home empty handed, so had promised they would start talking about trade and transition deals among themselves, as early as Monday.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel said there were "encouraging" signs of progress in Brexit negotiations and suggested formal trade talks could begin in December - when EU leaders are next scheduled to meet.German Chancellor Angela Merkel said there were "encouraging" signs of progress in Brexit negotiations and suggested formal trade talks could begin in December - when EU leaders are next scheduled to meet.
She said the process was progressing "step by step" despite British media reports that negotiations were not advancing.She said the process was progressing "step by step" despite British media reports that negotiations were not advancing.
"I have absolutely no doubt that if we are all focused - and the speech in Florence made a contribution towards that - we can achieve a good result," she said."I have absolutely no doubt that if we are all focused - and the speech in Florence made a contribution towards that - we can achieve a good result," she said.
"From my side there are no indications at all that we won't succeed.""From my side there are no indications at all that we won't succeed."
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