<sod >Arriving in Brussels for a gathering of leaders from the EU and former Soviet states, the Prime Minister said it was time to move on to the "next stage" in the negotiations, including talks on a free trade deal.< eod>< sod > In Brussels for a gathering of leaders from the EU and former Soviet states, the Prime Minister said "we have the same desire - we want to ensure that movement of people and trade across that border can carry on as now". However Mr Coveney insisted EU leaders would not give the green light for the phase two negotiations to begin at their summit in December unless there was progress on the border issue. He said British assurances on the issue were "aspirational" and that there had to be a "credible roadmap" from the UK setting out how they would ensure there was no return to a hard border.< eod>