The European Commission's top Brexit negotiator has said there has been no "decisive progress" on key issues relating to Britain's withdrawal from the European Union.

Michel Barnier said that negotiators are still "quite far" away from being in a position to begin talks on future trade arrangements.

At a joint press conference with Brexit Secretary David Davis, Mr Barnier said: "We did not get any decisive progress on any of the principal subjects."

He added: "At the current state of progress we are quite far from being able to say that sufficient progress has taken place, sufficient for me to be able to recommend to the European Council that it engage in discussions on the future relationship between the UK and EU."

But Mr Davis insisted there had been "some concrete progress" had been made.

"This week we have had long and detailed discussions across multiple areas and I think it's fair to say we have seen some concrete progress, and Michel referred to one but there's more than that.

"However, as I said at the start of the week, it's only through flexibility and imagination that we will achieve a deal that works truly for both sides.

"In some areas we have found this from the Commission's side, which I welcome, but there remains some way to go," he added.

The UK wants to begin trade talks as soon as possible, but Brussels has insisted that discussions about the future relationship can only begin once "sufficient progress" has been made on the arrangements for Britain's exit.