Any post-Brexit deal achieved needs to be ratified by the European Parliament before the end of December (and then by national parliaments), while some member states want to see the agreement translated before they can agree to it.

With only five weeks to go before the UK severs all ties with the EU, chief negotiator Michel Barnier warned that the "same significant divergences persist" between the two sides in post-Brexit talks.

Ahead of the next European summit in mid-December, MEPs will address the EU's long-term budget and rule-of-law conditionality in another virtual plenary session. Discussions will also focus on consumer rights, pharmaceutical strategy and the pandemic.

Talks between the EU and the UK have moved little, with only seven weeks left until the UK breaks ties with the EU. Negotiations are expected to resume on Monday in Brussels.

As the US elects a new president, EU foreign affairs and trade ministers will discuss developments on Monday.

After almost a week of arm-wrestling and ten days before the UK severs all of its EU ties, negotiators are back working hard on a deal on the future EU-UK relations. Budget and rule of law talks will also continue.

Tense post-Brexit talks in London, and EU budget and rule-of-law negotiations in Brussels, will continue this week, as EU countries battle the second wave of Covid-19.

Talks between the UK and the EU have progressed painfully slowly, but a deal on future relations needs to be agreed by the end of October. MEPs and diplomats will have another go at settling the next EU budget.

Breakthroughs are needed this week in both the EU-UK talks and negotiations on the budget between member states and the European Parliament. Migration will also be back, with ministers having their first debate on the new migration pact proposal.

Deciding on Belarus sanctions and the relationship with Turkey will be front and centre on the agenda for EU leaders who will meet this week in Brussels.

Migration and foreign policy will take centre stage next week, as the EU tries to come to a common position on Turkey, China, Russia and the sanctions on Belarus.

Von der Leyen's first annual speech launches the autumn political semester in the EU, in which she is expected to address the Covid-19 pandemic, migration and key foreign political issues.

Negotiations on the EU budget - between the parliament and member states - and on Brexit continue. Meanwhile, MEPs are voicing concern about travelling to Strasbourg during the pandemic for the parliament's next plenary session.

Ireland's deputy prime minster Simon Coveney is reported to be the frontrunner for the post. MEPs will also discuss where negotiations on the EU's long-term budget with member states are heading.