According to diplomats, the PM told Council boss Donald Tusk she would have to seek a "short, technical" prolongation of Brexit talks no matter what.
Michel Barnier told a meeting of EU ambassadors yesterday there has been no new progress in the talks due to UK demands over the backstop.
He said Britain was still insisting on a time limit or unilateral exit clause, despite Brussels repeatedly rejecting those solutions.
The Frenchman also told Member States that the UK has not tabled any new proposals at a flurry of technical talks over recent weeks.
An EU diplomat told The Sun: "For the time being, we can’t see a new angle from the Brits so there's no substantial progress.
"There has still been no paper provided by the UK."
An EU official warned: "They can't take the Commission by surprise by coming with a text on the last day."
Ambassadors were also told that Mrs May admitted for the first time a short Article 50 extension will be required even if MPs vote for her deal.
Meanwhile it was also reported today that Michel Barnier has told EU ambassadors that there has been no progress on Brexit.
Mrs May is still trying to win concessions from the bloc to get her MPs to back her deal when it comes back to the Commons this month.
The PM met with Mr Tusk in Sharm El-Sheikh on Sunday, where the pair agreed to work up new legal assurances on the backstop before the meaningful vote.
The diplomat said: "Looking at the necessary legislative procedures in the UK, it seems more and more inevitable to extend even if the deal goes through on the 12th.”
The official added: "If everything goes to Plan A we'll probably end up with some kind of short extension that will of course by approved by the Council."
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