MIDDAY BRIEF, IN BRIEF

Today at Commission, Orbán and social policy

Commissioners meet in Brussels Wednesday to discuss how to deal with Hungary.

Tuesday’s Commission midday briefing looked ahead to Wednesday’s meeting of the college of commissioners, which this week will feature the presentation of new social policy initiatives — a long-standing pledge of Jean-Claude Juncker, the Commission president.

The initiatives will include a so-called reflection paper on the EU’s social dimension and work-life balance regulations.

Also on the menu of the college will be the burning issue of Hungary and on whether the law passed by Budapest that cracks down on the Central European University complied with EU rules.

Chief spokesman Margaritis Schinas said an announcement would be made Wednesday if the commissioners can agree on the way forward, but no meetings between Juncker and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has been scheduled. Orbán is expected to attend the European Parliament’s plenary session in Brussels on Wednesday.

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Schinas declined to comment on whether the U.K. should pay €2 billion to the European Union for breaking customs rules — first reported by POLITICO in early March and which resurfaced in British media on Tuesday. However, he denied that there would be any link with the case and the Brexit talks as EU anti-fraud investigations are “self-standing.”