Britain has two weeks to make concessions in Brexit negotiations if it wants to open trade talks by the end of the year, the European Commission's chief negotiator has said.
Michel Barnier told reporters in Brussels that talks on trade would be "put back" again if Britain's position did not move in the fortnight.
Any further delay in meeting the EU's demands would mean "sufficient progress"
A failure to meet the milestone at the meeting, could seriously jeopardise the Brexit timetable and steeply increase the likelihood of 'no deal'. The next opportunity to leave for the rest of the world
"I have to present a sincere and real picture to the three subjects to the European Council and the European Parliament." That is not the case of the future. Barnier said.
"That includes the transition, because that would start on the 30 March, after the actual exiting of the United Kingdom, and our future relationships and the long term partnership that we wish to agree on with the United Kingdom. "
Asked whether the UK only had two weeks to make progress before the December meeting, Mr Barnier said simply: "My answer is yes."
There is no major breakthrough in the short run of talks held on Thursday and Friday this week, with Mr. Barnier warning that the public "should not expect, from us at the stage where we are today, any announcements or decisions" some small new agreement on EU citizens' rights.
Brexit Secretary David Davis said the two-day round of talks had "enabled us to consolidate the progress of earlier negotiating rounds and to draw out those areas where further political and technical discussion is required."
"This is now about moving into the political discussions that will enable us to move forward together."
Asked about whether he thought the UK would make sufficient progress, Mr. Davis said only: "December depends on progress and that's a Commission concept".
Barnier said Theresa May should make good on her Florence speech (AP) The two leaders said there was a work on the issues of citizens' rights, the exports of social benefits, and the role of the European Court of Justice before a deal could be reached.
On Northern Ireland, Mr Davis drew a clear red line rejecting the Northern Ireland and Great Britain in order to avoid a hard border on the island of Ireland. The solution to the issue "can not amount to creating a new border in the United Kingdom", he warned.
Again, little progress appears to have been made on the divorce bill, however. Mr Barnier said the two sided needed "to work now on the objective interpretation of the undertakings entered into the prime minister May in Florence", adding: "Davis said the issue was "serious business".
This week's round of talks was just two days long, compared to the four days of previous rounds. Despite the looming deadline and previous warnings of "deadlock" by Mr. Barnier, no further rounds are yet scheduled.
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