MIDDAY BRIEF, IN BRIEF

Today at Commission, solidarity with Manchester and college agenda

European commissioners will discuss defense policy, Greek bailout and EU budget.

There was a sombre mood at the European Commission’s midday press briefing in the wake of Monday evening’s suspected suicide bombing at a pop concert in Manchester.

Commission chief spokesman Margartis Schinas said it was a “sad day.”

Schinas read out a statement from the president of the European Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker who also sent a letter to British Prime Minister Theresa May.

EU flags are flying at half-mast outside Commission buildings and Commission staff will hold a moment of silence in honor of the 22 people who were killed.

In other news, Günther Oettinger, the commissioner for budget and human resources, will on Wednesday brief his colleagues on the EU’s 2018 budget which is expected to be finalized next week.

They will also hear from Commission vice-president Pierre Moscovici about Monday night’s talks on Greece at the Eurogroup. The bailout talks ended without a conclusive agreement, but eurozone finance ministers said they are confident of a deal at their next meeting, on June 15.

Asked by reporters about the state of the play of the negotiations, Schinas said “Greece has delivered” on its pledge to start serious talks on debt relief.

As well as calling on all parties “to show responsibility,” Schinas said reforms adopted by the government in Athens had been painful for the Greek people and this should be acknowledged by eurozone finance ministers.

Commissioners will this week also hold a debate on the future of European defense. A readout of that meeting will be given by Jyrki Katainen and Federica Mogherini.

Schinas also announced that on Friday the EU will send around 2,500 kilos of medical equipment to the Democratic Republic of Congo to tackle an outbreak of the Ebola virus.