Brussels ambassadors have agreed that an extension to the Brexit deadline is needed, but a decision on the length will not be made until next week.
The EU 27 accepted the "principle of an extension" and their work will continue in the "coming days", a European Commission spokeswoman said.
Boris Johnson was forced by Parliament to request a Brexit delay until January 31, and Chancellor Sajid Javid conceded on Friday that the Halloween deadline had now slipped away.
It follows the Prime Minister's offer to MPs of more time to consider his Brexit deal if they agreed to an election on December 12.
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