MIDDAY BRIEF, IN BRIEF

Today at Commission, London attack and defense

The Commission will make a decision on the Nord Stream gas pipeline in the coming days.

Before Tuesday’s midday press briefing, the European Commission held a minute of silence in memory of those who died in Saturday’s London Bridge terror attack.

Commission chief spokesman Margaritis Schinas said Jean-Claude Juncker had issued a statement on the attacks and sent a letter to British Prime Minister Theresa May.

Schinas said the weekly College of Commissioners meeting on Wednesday will discuss the future of EU defense policy. Foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini and Commission Vice President Jyrki Katainen will brief the press on their discussions.

They will also discuss a review of progress on the EU’s capital markets union and whether a European citizens’ initiative on tackling extremism should be officially registered.

Tough talks on migration

Commission spokeswoman Natasha Bertaud said the Czech Republic had taken in only 12 refugees since the EU’s relocation scheme came into force, adding that Juncker believed Prague should and could “do more.” The Commission president will be in Prague later this week and will raise the issue with Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka.

The relocation scheme is legally binding and the issue of whether to launch infringement proceedings against countries that refuse to take part has been hanging over the Commission for months.

The commissioners are next week expected to discuss progress on the EU’s migration agenda which, Bertaud suggested, could include a debate on whether to challenge countries to respect EU migration law.

Nord Stream decision

Schinas confirmed the Commission will take a decision on the legal approval of the Nord Stream pipeline project in the coming days.

However, he repeated an earlier statement from Juncker, who is wary of the political side of the project — a concern shared by the president of the European Council, Donald Tusk.

Schinas reminded reporters that Juncker last year said he has a “strong preference for a pipeline that unites rather than for a pipeline that divides.”