BRUSSELS - The European Union's Brexit negotiator said on Tuesday any agreement with Britain on their future relationship must respect the bloc's single market rules.

Speaking after holding talks with Britain's Brexit minister Dominic Raab in Brussels on Tuesday, Barnier said the unprecedented talks were entering the final stage.

He said that the last negotiating session in July moved both sides closer to finding agreement on their post-Brexit cooperation on security, but the future economic relationship was still far off.

"This partnership has to respect the single market and the foundations of the European project, and if this is well understood we can conclude the negotiations successfully," Barnier told a joint news conference with Raab.

He said a deal with Britain was needed "not much later" than in early November and that the bloc was not working towards a "no-deal" Brexit, though it had to prepare for it.