EU's Michel says will try to keep Brexit off EU summit agenda

European Union leaders meeting in Brussels on Thursday will avoid a long debate on Britain's departure from the bloc, summit chair Charles Michel said.

"The Brexit will not be the most important point on our agenda ... negotiations are still ongoing," Michel told reporters as he arrived for the summit.

"We will not have a long debate on Brexit," he added, saying he expected the European Commission to update leaders on the status of talks towards a new trade deal.