But ministers in Ireland and Germany struck a more optimistic note, saying that a deal waas still feasible.

The UK and the EU have agreed that a decision on the future of the negotiations will be made at the end of the weekend deadlines in this process of calm and gone without a firm outcome.

But with less than three weeks to go before the new arrangements start, time is fast running out so ahead of a crucial 48 hours will bring you the latest from Brussels on will compare the economic consequences of deal on DNO deal.

But first, here's our political correspondent, Alex Forsyth.

Yeah, it was a co vid welcome for the prime minister today at a firm providing energy for the future Mawr.

Immediate trade talks, though, must be on his mind.

Negotiators are still working out which way they'll go, as Boris Johnson warned again, reaching agreement with the U looks doubtful.

It's looking, you know, very, very likely that we'll have to go for a solution that I think would be, you know, wonderful for the UK we'd be able to do exactly what we want from from January the first.

Obviously, it would be, uh, different from what we set out to achieve.

But I've no doubt that this country can get ready.

Ondas, I say come out on world trade terms.

So for those affected, what does that mean?

This farm exports barley to the U.

If there's no deal Come January, world trade rules kick in meaning tariffs or taxes on goods moving between here on the continent, which could push costs up.

I think for the industry as a whole, it'll be disastrous.

We've got the a perfect storm approaching of thes support payments being taken away.

Brexit possibly no deal on Cove in 19.

All these things have come all at once on day.

That is a massive problem.

These were accused in Kent this week.

There's already congestion at ports.

Is global supply chains struggle with demand on co vid restrictions.

Brexit will mean more change for business.

Whatever the outcome of trade talks, the government says it is prepared testing plans for traffic buildup this weekend, but no deal would mean MAWR disruption.

Both sides say they want an agreement, but that may well not happen because the same sticking points remain access to fishing waters on shared regulations and standards.

On on that number 10 says the U.

K has to be able to make its own decisions on not be tied.

Thio you rules in future from Brussels today, the message waas.

That's perfectly possible that there be a price they would remain free sovereign.

If you wish to decide what they want to do, we would simply adapt the conditions for access to our market accordingly.

The decision of the United Kingdom on this would apply vice versa, so neither side shifting yet.

But the door isn't entirely closed.

Way believe finding a solution in the talks is difficult but possible.

That's why we as the you will continue negotiations as long as the Windows open, even if it's only a crack, negotiations are still ongoing.

Andi.

I think the implications are very serious for all concerned in the event of a no deal, and I think all politicians in the United Kingdom on across Europe need to reflect that so in Brussels.

The mood maybe gloomy.

But until Sunday, which is Decision day, they are still talking.

Alex Forsyth, BBC News.

Let's speak now to our Europe editor, Cathy Radler, who's in Brussels for us on cat here.

Why is it that some are still hopeful of a trade deal when Boris Johnson, the EU Commission president, have been so gloomy?

Well, quite simply, reader, as long as the two sides are still talking, there is a chance, however slim, that solutions are being found.

We don't actually know what is going on behind closed doors.

Of course.

It's only the negotiators in the room who are aware of what's going on and a health warning.

In the meantime, we can expect briefing on counter briefing from both sides.

You could ask, though, if the you really wants this deal, why is it that Angela Merkel of Germany or Emmanuel Macron off front aren't meeting the prime minister or talking to him on the phone like we heard today that he's bean suggesting, Is it a snub?

Is it bad faith?

Well, the EU says no far from that.

It is simply because the focus of these negotiations is on the EU's single market.

It's a market that binds all you countries.

It's something that all you countries make their money from.

So they don't think that any one single you leader, however powerful they are, has the right to make that deal breaking handshake with the prime minister making compromises that will affect all off the others.

That's why you leaders chose the European Commission to lead in the negotiations on the EU side to make a deal with the UK to respect its national sovereignty.

They say as much as possible, but the priority being the single market.

And yes, as you say, Rita, the mood here is as gloomy as in the UK But because the you wants a deal, I'm already hearing whispers from European diplomats who say to me they hope if it comes to a no deal, it will prove so difficult for the UK that it will propel the government back to the negotiating table something sometime next year, something the government says can't be taken for granted.

Catch.

Thank you, Cat.

You're Adler there in Brussels when I'm joined now by Faisal Islam, our economics editor.

So Faisal, the mood music as Katty was saying is pointing towards a no deal.

What does the reality of that look like?

We talked about it for years.

It's now getting very serious and actually very visible to in terms.

We've heard from the government's own economic advisers, saying that the sort of effectively the mountain of red tape from leaving the single market and leaving the customs union will be a hit to the economy.

But on top of that, no deal, as we've been hearing, will mean taxes on imports that raise prices taxes on our exports to the EU, which would hit manufacturing.

We heard from Nissan today saying there is no Plan B if such a thing came to pass.

But as you saw in Alex's report, their things getting very serious.

We had a meeting today from the prime minister, who surveyed the planning for no deal on.

There's another meeting off something called Kent Resilience Forum this afternoon, testing out those, uh, that lorry park that would stretch out to Dover on the M 20 for many miles Ondas Part of that, they're having to work out which Lorries with priority priority load would get to skip the queue on have some information that apparently it will be live fish exports, which apparently come from the Scotland and transported by a truck.

Onda.

Also day old chicks are the only things that they have space for in order to give priority for export.

The Fish and Chicks strategy apparently talking a fish.

There's also this talk tonight off the Navy being used in terms off policing our waters.

If there's a no deal so serious consequences, it's getting very riel.

Bank of England says that our financial system should be protected, though, if there is uneconomic hit.

But it'll getting rather riel tonight.

Okay, many thanks Faisal Islam there.