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"Very little progress" has been made in the latest round of UK-EU trade talks, the UK government has said.

The UK's negotiator David Frost said a far-reaching free trade agreement could be agreed before the end of the year "without major difficulties".

But he said the process was being held up by the EU's desire to "bind" the UK to its laws and standards and by disagreements over fishing rights.

EU counterpart Michel Barnier is currently updating the media.

The two sides have been discussing their future economic and security partnership following the UK's withdrawal from the 27-member bloc on 31 January.

The UK has said it will not extend the current transition period, due to end on 31 December, to give more time for a deal to be reached due to coronavirus pandemic.

In a statement, Mr Frost said there was a "good understanding" between the negotiators but that little or no progress had been on the most "significant outstanding issues".

He said the EU was insisting upon a "set of novel and unbalanced proposals" that went well beyond other trade agreements struck with other countries.

This, he said, would result "in a so-called level playing field which would bind this country to EU law or standards, or determine our domestic legal regimes".

The EU, he added, was continuing to seek access to UK fishing waters after the transition period "in a way that is incompatible with our future status as an independent coastal state".

"It is hard to understand why the EU insists on an ideological approach which makes it more difficult to reach a mutually beneficial agreement," he said.

"We very much need a change in EU approach for the next round beginning on 1 June.

"The UK will continue to work hard to find an agreement, for as long as there is a constructive process in being, and continues to believe that this is possible."

Mr Frost said the UK would make public all its draft legal texts next week so "the EU's Member States and interested observers can see our approach in detail".