Stephen Barclay, the Brexit Secretary, has said the UK and EU share a "common purpose" in reaching a new Brexit agreement after his meeting after meeting Michel Barnier in Brussels
Speaking at a packed news conference after the closed-door meeting he declared " we had a serious and detailed discussions" adding that he believed things were “heading forward with an ever-increasing momentum".
Mr Barnier said it had been a "cordial" meeting, but "lots of work has to be done in the next few days".
The deadline for the UK to exit the EU is 31 October.
On Thursday, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said a new Brexit deal could still be reached by then.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson said some "progress" was being made, although it was important not to "exaggerate" this.
But Irish Foreign Minister Simon Coveney told the BBC on Friday that there was a "wide gap" between the UK and the EU, with Brussels "still waiting for serious proposals" from London.
Steve Simmonds