Speaking about the ongoing “fisheries” issue, the EU Commission president told MEPs:

“We do not question the UK’s sovereignty on its own waters. But we ask for predictability and stability for our fishermen and our fisherwomen.

And, in all honesty, it sometimes feels that we will not be able to resolve this question. 

But we must continue to try to find a solution and it is the only responsible and right course of action.”

For months, the post-Brexit trade negotiations have stalled on the issues of fishing rights and the “level playing field” measures to prevent unfair competition.

Ursula von der Leyen told MEPs this morning there had been progress on the latter:

“On the level playing field, our aim is simply to ensure fair competition on our own market, very simple. And this is why we need to establish robust mechanisms.

The architecture we’re working on rests on two pillars: state aid and standards.

On state aid, we have made progress based on common principles, guarantees of domestic enforcement and the possibility to autonomously remedy the situation when needed.

On standards, we have agreed a strong mechanism of non-regression. That’s a big step forward.”

However, difficulties remain on how to “future proof” fair competition, with the UK believed to be resisting attempts to force it to follow EU rules.

Ursula von der Leyen told MEPs on Wednesday “the next days are going to be decisive”, with the need for a deal to be in place by 1 January.

She said: “The clock puts us all in a very difficult situation, not least this parliament and its right to exercise democratic scrutiny and ratification.”

It comes as MEPs voiced their concerns that a deal could be implemented provisionally before they get the chance to vote on it.

There is now a “path to an agreement” in Brexit talks thanks to a “way forward” being found on most issues, EU Commission president Ursula von der Leyen has told MEPs this morning.

However, she admitted she cannot guarantee a deal will be brought across the line.

Follow my colleague Jon Stone’s story for incoming details:

The Department for Transport (DfT) confirmed on Tuesday that a lorry park customs area – being built in Severington near Ashford in Kent to accommodate Brexit road congestion – will not be completed for when it is needed on 1 January.

The DfT says an unplanned level of rainfall in England during the winter is responsible for work falling behind schedule, meaning worst-case-scenario queues of up to 7,000 lorries in the area could soon become a reality, reports our policy correspondent Jon Stone:

MPs may not vote on any Brexit deal until next year, after it has come into force, Jacob Rees-Mogg has suggested – meaning parliament could be asked to “retrospectively correct” domestic law to recognise the agreement.

Mr Rees-Mogg admitted the move would be hugely controversial, saying “if anyone took it to court I think you would find yourselves in considerable difficulties”, but he said it was possible “if both sides accept that ratification is done in a different way”. 

Our deputy political editor, Rob Merrick, reports:

Hello, and welcome to The Independent’s rolling coverage of the Brexit negotiations.