  Fusion barriers are determined in the framework of the Skyrme energy-density
functional together with the semi-classical approach known as the Extended
Thomas-Fermi method. The barriers obtained in this way with the Skyrme
interaction SkM* turn out to be close to those generated by phenomenological
models like those using the proximity potentials. It is also shown that the
location and the structure of the fusion barrier in the vicinity of its maximum
and beyond can be quite accurately described by a simple analytical form
depending only on the masses and the relative isospin of target and projectile
nucleus.
