Midday brief, in brief

Today at Commission, Rome was not built in a day

The Commission is getting ready to reveal its roadmap.

Jean-Claude Juncker will present the Commission’s white paper on the EU’s post-Brexit future to MEPs in Brussels at 3 p.m. tomorrow.

“It is an important week to ensure the future unity and the cooperation between the 27 member states,” Commission spokesman Margaritis Schinas said.

The white paper is intended to feed into deliberations about the EU’s future ahead of a summit to mark the 60th anniversary of the bloc in Rome on March 25.

The college of commissioners meets this afternoon at 5 p.m. and will convene again on Wednesday morning to finalize the paper, which will contain a set of options and scenarios for member countries to consider.

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Schinas said he would not discuss the content but the Commission’s objective was to create a public debate after the Rome summit that would involve citizens — not just governments, diplomats, spokespersons and journalists.

Away from the podium, a top Commission official suggested the white paper would be “the birth certificate of the EU27.” In keeping with that analogy, the document would be rather short, the official said.

By getting its blueprint out weeks before the summit, the Commission is trying to avoid being sidelined by national governments in the bloc’s big soul-searching exercise.

Other Commission news

Due to a packed Wednesday, the Commission will present on Thursday “a package” of recommendations and assessments on migration. These will touch upon the EU-Turkey deal, relocation and resettlement, the relationship between the EU and third countries on migration, the European coast guard, and an action plan on migrant returns.

The Commission will also publish a new assessment report on the security union.