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Speculation is mounting that an agreement on the Irish border is close to being reached this evening.
It is understood that a new text has been drafted by the UK government as an alternative to the deal which was almost completed on Monday of this week.
Key to the new deal will be the reaction of the DUP, whose leader Arlene Foster, was emphatically opposed the “regulatory alignment” suggested between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland in the Monday proposal.
The deal would have effectively ruled out a hard border between north and south.
However the DUP would not accept Northern Ireland leaving the EU on different terms from the rest of the UK.
A spokesman for the European Commission said Jean-Claude Juncker, president of the European Commission has spoken with both Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and UK Prime Minister Theresa May.
Talks are continuing throughout the night.
.@JunckerEU was on the phone with Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and then with @theresa_may. We are making progress but not yet fully there. Talks are continuing throughout the night. Early morning meeting possible with press/point thereafter. Tonight more than ever, stay tuned, gsms on.
— Margaritis Schinas (@MargSchinas) December 7, 2017
Donald Tusk, president of the European Council, is to make a statement at 6.50am Irish time on Friday morning.
Catch up with all that happened on Brexit negotiations this week and why an east/west deal is more important for agriculture than a north/south deal here.
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