EC Briefing — Thursday, 30 April 2026

Key Points

• President von der Leyen will attend the EU-Armenia Summit next week in Yerevan.
• The EU issued recommendations on the citizens' energy package to support consumer choices and protect vulnerable households.
• The Council meeting today focuses on accelerating trustworthy AI rollout and strengthening online protection for minors.
• The EU remains committed to supporting Ukraine and condemns actions that fund Russia's war effort.
• The EU condemns violence in occupied territories and calls for Israel to respect international law and human rights.
• The EU emphasizes the importance of ensuring humanitarian aid reaches Gaza amid ongoing violence and humanitarian crises.

Full Transcript

Transcribed automatically from EbS (Europe by Satellite) · English audio track · AI-generated · May contain errors · Verify before quoting

Opening Statement

Good afternoon. Good to see you all here in the press room. And to all those joining us online, we have several announcements for you today before we take your questions.

Let me start with President von der Leyen's agenda for next week. President von der Leyen will travel to Yerevan, where on Monday she will participate at the European Political Community Summit. On Tuesday, still in Yerevan, the President will attend the first-ever EU-Armenia Summit. And on Wednesday, back in Brussels, the President will chair the meeting of the College. That's it for now for the President's agenda. I would like now to call Anna Kaiser to join me at the podium with one announcement about the citizens' energy package. Anna Kaiser.

Good afternoon. We have today issued recommendations that deliver on the citizens' energy package that we presented in March, and on last week's Accelerate EU plan to tackle the current fossil energy crisis. This guidance empowers all European consumers by helping them make informed choices regarding their energy supply. We also have guidance on how to help protect vulnerable households from energy disconnections. And we, of course, encourage all consumers to play an active role in the clean energy transition through energy self-production and energy sharing. We will now, going forward, we will work very closely with our member states as well as our stakeholders to ensure that these recommendations are effectively implemented. Ultimately, creating a more inclusive, resilient and sustainable energy system is key for Europe's push towards energy independence. And you will find this and more information on DG Energy website. It's all up there now. Thank you very much, Anna Kaiser, on a subject which is high on the agenda these days, weeks, as we know. Now, turning to French, permettez-moi... I will now remind you about the meeting of the Council taking place today. Executive Vice President Henna Verkoenen is today in Nicosia for an informal council on telecommunications organized by the Presidency of Cyprus. The ministers will debate three key priorities, accelerating the rollout of trustworthy AI across the entirety of the Union, strengthening the protection of minors online, relying on the Commission's recommendation on age verification that was presented yesterday, and strengthening critical infrastructure resilience in Europe as well. After the meeting, Executive Vice President Verkoenen will be taking part in a press conference, joint press conference with the Vice Minister Nicodemus Damianou. As always, we would ask you to keep any questions on this topic for this press conference. This is a telecommunications press conference.

Israel-Ukraine diplomatic crisis

Q: Jorge. Hello, Paula. My question relates to this diplomatic crisis between Israel and Ukraine regarding a vessel, a Russian vessel that was suspected of carrying stolen grain from Ukraine. We know that early this morning Israel rejected this vessel, after several days of accusations between the two sides. I want to know, do you have any reaction to the end of this diplomatic crisis? And do you maintain the threat of sanctions against Israel and other countries that might be tempted to buy stolen grain from Ukraine? Thank you. Thank you, Jorge. And it will be for Anwar.

Spokesperson: Yes, thank you for the question. We have already delivered our position, but I'm happy to reiterate it from the stage, and it is unchanged. As shown, actually last week, with the adoption of the 90 billion support loan for Ukraine and the 20th package of sanctions, the EU remains steadfast in supporting Ukraine and pressuring Russia until it ends its war of aggression. In this context, we, as EU, we have taken note of the reports that a Russian shadow fleet vessel carrying stolen Ukrainian grain has been allowed to unload at Haifa port in Israel, and that despite previous contacts of Ukraine with Israeli authorities on the subject. We condemn all actions that help fund Russia's illegal war effort and circumvent EU sanctions. And indeed, we remain ready to target such actions by listing individuals and entities in third countries if necessary. We have also approached the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the issue at the level of our EU ambassadors, and I will refrain from commenting any further at this stage because, obviously, of the confidentiality of diplomatic exchanges. Thank you. Anwar. Other questions on foreign affairs to Anwar? Yes, please.

Situation in occupied territories

Q: Thank you, Paola. Anwar? Anwar? I would like to ask a question. Sorry. No? Ask a question, if I may? I just wanted to ask a question on the situation in the occupied territories. The settlers are pushing out olive growers, and this is being financed by partners possibly within the European Union. I'd like to get a comment from you on this, if you're going to be taking any action on this, or, very simply, if your position is the same as you have always taken. Thank you very much.

Spokesperson: Merci, Noradine. Thank you very much, Noradine. We would firmly condemn any acts of violence in the occupied territories, including the recent demolition of a school that was financed by the European Union, as well as an attack against a station which led to the death of a Palestinian civilian. These projects were funded by money from the European Union as well as the French Development Agency, and they are vital and essential infrastructure for the Palestinian population. We expect the Israeli authorities to take rapid actions to bring the perpetrators of these actions to justice, and we'd also call on the Israeli authorities to ensure that all damage is repaired. From our side, we have raised this issue with the Israeli authorities, and Israel has taken decisive actions with regard to the settlers and their actions in order to stop confiscations, demolitions, and forced transfer of land from Palestinians at record levels. We would re-emphasize this call on Israel. Israel needs to respect international law and human rights of Palestinians in the occupied territories, in the Eastern Jerusalem and the Western Bank, and to ensure that civil infrastructure is respected in conformance with international law. Thank you very much. Do you have a follow-up question?

Gaza flotilla violence

Q: Yes, another question on the same subject, again on Palestine. The fleet that tried to lift the embargo and the siege of Gaza by Israel was subject to violence. Do you have any idea who was behind these violent acts, and would you have any comments on this? Because every time non-governmental organizations from European countries or from the world in general attempt to bring humanitarian aid to Gaza, they are attacked, be it in Greece, Italy, Malta, Tunisia, so on and so forth. Thank you. Thank you very much. Could you perhaps just repeat the end of your question? Because it seems you increased the parameters of your question from Gaza to other nations. So do you have any information on who is behind these acts of violence and these attacks on the fleet from Greece to Gaza? And do you have any political comment that you could make at this stage?

Spokesperson: Thank you, Noadim. The activists are trying to raise public awareness of the catastrophic humanitarian situation in Gaza and trying to bring essential aid to the people of Gaza as well. It's very important that we ensure that humanitarian aid can get to those who urgently need it, and we alleviate the suffering of people in Gaza and ensure that international rights and international law are always respected. My colleague has already said in the past that we discourage these flotillas as part of humanitarian aid because there is inherent risk to them. We will reiterate our call to the Israeli authorities to ensure that they respect international law, including humanitarian law and international maritime law as well. With regard to the situation in Gaza and the point that you have raised with regard to the humanitarian crisis, the European Union have always been vocal and have always tried to take action on our wars as well since October 2023. We have organized 44 humanitarian flights, bringing over 5,000 tons of humanitarian aid to Palestinians. We have coordinated with various organizations as well to provide aid to Palestinians. We are trying to meet the necessities on the ground, and we know this is not enough yet, so we do salute and welcome the opening of a new passage point at Kerim Salem, and we would ask that other border crossings also be opened as well so that we can provide necessary humanitarian aid. I would also remind you of our actions with regard to Ubaim Rafah as well. All of this is part of our toolbox, and everything is with the aim of bringing aid to those who need it. As you know, we do have some deployment on the ground, and we've been working with the Israeli authorities, Palestinian authorities, and Egyptian authorities. There are many people who are fleeing from the Gaza Strip to Egypt, and those are the people who necessitate medical aid more than anything else. There have been close to 2,000 crossings, and over 1,400 of those have been for medical purposes. And you can see that what we're saying is translating to action on the ground as well. Thank you very much, Anwar.

Israel's actions in international waters

Q: Angela Moura, of course, is on the flotilla as well, and on the move by Israel to block and arrest the activists last night, early this morning, in international waters. What's your position on this move exactly? Is it a breach of international law, according to you, or is it justified because Israel says that the activists wanted to stop one Israeli ship? So what's your assessment? Thanks.

Spokesperson: Thank you. I think I already touched on the issue, but happy to reiterate it. Freedom of navigation under international law must be upheld. That's one. Then, we have been calling, and we reiterate this call on Israel to respect international law, including international humanitarian law and international maritime law, which is quite clear. Then, in terms of the situation of the personnel that you have been referring to, I will recall that in terms of the consular protection, participants lies with the national authorities of the countries of their respective nationalities. Thank you, Anwar. Other questions to Anwar? Yes, please.

US troop reduction in Germany

Q: Hello. I have two questions. First is regarding the announcement of U.S. President Donald Trump regarding possible reduction of troops in Germany. Will it anyhow influence security situation in Europe? And another one is regarding U.S. building new coalition to ensure ships can pass through Hormuz. It is reported that the mission would share information, coordinate diplomacy actions and sanctions. Was the EU approached with the offer to join or considering to join this initiative? Thank you. Thank you. One of the questions will be for Anita, Anwar, on the second.

Spokesperson: I'll take the second angle on Hormuz. We are in regular touch with all our partners in the region and beyond to obviously contribute in a positive manner to the situation that we have on the ground. Obviously, we all want the straits to remain free of charge. And we, as Europe, will play our part in terms of restoring the free flow of energy and trade once the conditions allow. And again, recalling that we are supporting diplomatic solutions and that we also have our operation ASPEDES in the region, which is again the quickest way to protect shipping in the region. And again, the High Rep was quite clear following the Foreign Affairs Council in terms of having asked ministers to make more assets available. On your first question regarding US troops in Europe, Anita, we have a nice tandem here in terms of foreign affairs on the podium. Go ahead.

Spokesperson: So on the question, we will reiterate our position, which is longstanding in terms of US being a vital partner in contributing to Europe's security and defence. And the fact that the deployment of US troops in Europe is also in the US interest in support of its global role. At the same time, we have recognised, and this is what we have been doing, namely investing in our own security and defence. And you remember states that our NATO allies are also increasing their defence spending in an unprecedented pace. And since this was referring to the particular case of Germany, just compared to 2023, the figures are public, the defence ministry has allocated more than €100 billion for external security in 2026. And in 2029, this amount is foreseen to increase to around €152 billion. So this is a threefold increase in this regard. And other remarks on the specific comments made, we will not have. Thank you, Anita. Other foreign affairs questions?

US-Russia negotiations on Ukraine

Q: Yes, Vitaly, go ahead. It's on negotiation between Russia and the United States. Yesterday, it was called between President Trump and Putin. And after this call, the Russian side published a readout where they claimed that both parts have a similar view on the behaviour of Ukrainian government. And they blame, Moscow blame, Europe in supporting this war. Do you have some contact with American side? And is it true that they have now already, Moscow and Washington, have a similar view on the situation in Ukraine, and it's not the view of European Union? Thank you.

Spokesperson: Thank you, Vitaly. On our side, we have always welcomed the US efforts towards a just and lasting peace. This is our aim as well. When it comes to Moscow, I will not comment on Russia's intentions, because these are very clear about from killing, torturing and sending drones to target innocent civilians. We have seen nothing more. Hence, there is zero trust in anything that Russia says or does. Thank you, Anita. Other questions on foreign affairs, please?

Russia's victory parade criticism

Q (Euronews): Hi, Anita, Angela Skujins from Euronews. A question about Russia's victory parade, scheduled to take place next month, obviously in the news at the moment. Much less fanfare this year, but last year we saw the Slovak Prime Minister, Robert Fico, and the Serbian President, Aleksandar Vucic, make an appearance. The EU High Representative, Kaya Kalis, she was pretty strident in her criticism of this, and she almost inferred that consequences would occur if any leader went. Can you tell me what were the consequences for those leaders that attended, and what is her position this year on the military parade, and if any EU leader goes, or a leader from an EU-aspirant country? Thank you.

Spokesperson: Thank you very much. When it comes to the 9th of May, as you know, we are celebrating Europe and all that it represents, namely peace, unity, prosperity and security, everything that Russia is not standing up for. So when it comes to what the 9th of May represents for Russia, this is about exploiting the end of the World War II celebrations for propaganda and the justification of a full-scale invasion of Ukraine. And the High Representative was very clear, both when it comes to the EU member states, but also the candidate countries, if you want to show support, Kyiv is the place to be, and for sure not Moscow. Thank you, Anita.

EU stance on Gaza flotilla

Q: Yes, in the back. Thank you. I have a follow-up on the global Samud flotilla. You may also recall that a couple of days ago, when I brought this issue up, before the flotilla was attacked by Israel, one of your colleagues, one of the spokespersons, refrained from making a call to Israel, and instead, like you repeated today, made a call to the participants of the flotilla, saying that we discourage these flotillas because they are unsafe, basically. I don't know if you've seen it, but the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs conveniently clipped and shared this response and praised it. So I would like to basically know, when you say you discourage these flotillas, do you fear that you may be giving a free hand to Israel, because making it look like it's not supported by the global community, it may make it easier for Israel to to intervene to these flotillas?

Spokesperson: Let's be very clear. We want to make sure that the participants in the flotilla are not putting their... I'm missing the word, are not in risk. That's what was meant, and Anwar also recalled our line on the flotilla, if necessary you can reiterate, but that is the angle. We want to deliver the necessary aid, and we are committed to delivering the aid, and there are safer ways to do it than in the form of a flotilla. But Anwar? Yes, indeed. No comment on any comments or amplification from our positions, but I will here stress again, and obviously fully stand with the comments from my colleague Eva from this Monday, because this is our official position, that we discourage flotillas as a form of aid delivery. Not comma, not full, stop sorry, but comma, because they actually risk the safety of their participants. So this is our position, and I recalled also that in terms of having effective humanitarian aid being provided on the ground, that we are again calling on all the parties to actually ensure that we have an unimpeded access in terms of humanitarian aid into Gaza, recalling also the aid that the EU has been providing using the wide scope of our tools. So nothing to see there, if you allow us. Thank you. Thank you very much. I would like to ask a question regarding the Pakistan and Afghanistan, because the United Nations published a report and said that the attacks that are taking place in Afghanistan, especially in university and civil society, they are condemn that. I would like to ask what is the official position on the European Union on Pakistani military attacks on Afghanistan, and would you like to have some negotiation or make some sanction or do some pressure, diplomatic pressure on Pakistanis to stop these attacks, especially for the civil society in Afghanistan? Thank you.

Spokesperson: Thank you. I think that we have been vocal at the and I think it was a month ago. But again, our position is consistent and remains unchanged. We call for immediate de-escalation and maximum restraint following the renewed violence that we had seen at the time and in case of any pickup again of violence between Afghanistan and Pakistan. We, as EU, reiterate again that the Afghan territory must not be used or attacked, basically, in terms of threatening or attacking any country. And we call on all actors to take effective action against terrorist groups operating from their territory. And we urge both sides to engage in dialogue to address their security concerns and reduce tensions, recalling again that international humanitarian law must be respected and protection of civilians and civilian infrastructure ensured at all times. Thank you, Anwar. Other questions on foreign affairs? I don't see any. We move on and change the subject. Yes, please.

Journalist surveillance and spyware

Q: I have a rule of law question for Marcus. Sunday marks the World Press Freedom Day and this year's reports all point to the same problem. Journalists are increasingly targeted by spyware. So the EU committed to protect journalists for exactly that kind of surveillance with the Media Freedom Act. So my question is why hasn't the European Commission moved to regulate spyware vendors and like, for example, Paragon and EU countries that are buying them?

Spokesperson: Thanks very much for the question, Olga. The Commission's position on this is very clear. Any attempts to illegally access data of citizens, including journalists and political opponents, is unacceptable. The Commission has been working very hard to address the illegal use of spyware from various angles of EU law. First, we have clear and very robust safeguards in EU law already, namely GDPR. Personal data must be processed lawfully, fairly and in a transparent manner. And the e-privacy directive prohibits the interception of communications and access of information without user consent. Two, now we also have the European Media Freedom Act, fully applicable since summer last year. It includes specific safeguards banning the use of spyware on journalists and their families. And three, cyber surveillance items are subject to strict import and export conditions in the EU. And the rules on this will be further strengthened with the Cyber Resilience Act, which will start to be applicable from December 2027. Something else that's important to mention is that our Rule of Law report is a report where we constantly monitor and address these issues for a number of member states from the perspective of checks and balances and the protection of journalists. So to sum up, the issue of spyware has the Commission's full attention. We have strong legislation in place. We will continue to explore options to further act and we are further strengthening our legislative framework. Thank you, Markus. Olga, you have a follow-up.

EU action on journalist spying

Q: But I mean, we have cases, for example, in Italy where we still don't know who has spied on a journalist. In your position as a Rule of Law safeguard actor, when is the red line crossed and the EU Commission would act, actually, with all the safeguards you were just telling us?

Spokesperson: Thanks very much. I mean, first, very important point to make is that, of course, investigations are for the national authorities. So this is something law enforcement authorities in the member states have to address. And as I've said, any attempt to illegally access data of citizens and journalists in particular is unacceptable and illegal. And now, as regards the overall assessments, this is outlined in our Rule of Law report for each and every member state. So I also invite you to look there. Thank you. Markus, go ahead.

Media Freedom Act application

Q (Kyiv Independent): Yeah, it's Chris Powers, Kyiv Independent. Same topic, actually, the Reporters Without Borders report. Two questions. So one, the report says that across the EU, for a range of reasons, the European Media Freedom Act is being inconsistently applied. So I was wondering if there's a general reaction to this from the Commission, if there's an intent to do anything to ensure that it is consistently applied. And then on a more positive note, the report also notes that Ukraine and Moldova have significantly improved, overtaking the US and several EU countries. I was wondering how you see this development in light of their EU candidate status. Thank you.

Spokesperson: Thank you very much. I'm going to start with your second questions, which I am replying to with my Guillaume hat. Yes, enlargement related is also is today taken up by Markus. So that comes timely now. The European Commission has indeed seen the latest World Press Freedom Index. We recall that our assessment is clearly outlined in our annual enlargement reports in our country-specific chapters. The last of our reports shows that both Ukraine and Moldova made progress in the area of media freedom. And these developments demonstrate both countries' commitment to democratic values and underline their gradual alignment with European Union standards, which place a free and independent media at the core of the Copenhagen criteria. Thank you. Other questions to Markus with his Guillaume hat also. Go ahead.

EU enlargement discussions

Q: I have a question actually to Guillaume, but I think Markus will respond. Yesterday, Hungary's incoming prime minister announced on X that he will return on May 25 in Brussels for further talks. There are growing expectations that the Council could officially open cluster negotiations with Moldova and Ukraine around May 26. Can you confirm whether enlargement was discussed in yesterday's exchange between President von der Leyen and the incoming Hungarian prime minister?

Spokesperson: You've seen that the president indeed posted about her meeting with the prime minister-elect Peter Magyar, and the main gist of her social media post goes in the sense that they discussed the steps which are necessary to unlock the EU funds which are earmarked to Hungary and that have been frozen until now due to corruption issues and rule of law concerns. So we have not gone into further topics. Now you know that in terms of enlargement and the opening of the clusters, the ball is now on the Council side. That's where we need to see the necessary support by all member states in order to trigger the opening of the clusters. From our side, from the Commission side, we have been very clear on what our position is with regard to the opening of the clusters and to the progress that these two candidate countries have been doing. So that's all we can say for the moment, and we will see indeed whether in terms of enlargement process there will be progress in upcoming meetings at the Council. You have a follow-up?

Clarification on enlargement talks

Q: So the enlargement wasn't on the table yesterday?

Spokesperson: This I cannot confirm nor deny. What I tell you is that it's not now in the front of the Commission to take any steps in that regard, because we have made our proposals with regard to the candidate countries at stake, and now we need to see what happens in the Council. Yes, Vitalio.

Hungary's VETO on Ukraine support

Q: Thank you. Just to follow up, did you have in this agenda the issue of Ukraine broadly, then enlargement, maybe the issue of Hungarian VETA on any questions, any decision to support Ukraine? Have you discussed this topic with the future leader of Hungary, how removed the constant VETA of Hungary on this decision in support of Ukraine?

Spokesperson: We've seen last week the removal of a blockade, so to say, to the Ukrainian loan, and that was a very welcome and expected step, because it reflected a commitment from the government which is still in place in Hungary. So that was a major development, and we will be taking it from there. And all the rest said, I cannot speculate about possible further discussions that have been the subject of the meeting yesterday. Other questions? Jennifer.

Q: I think it's a new topic, but it's related. More questions on Marcos Portfolios, also stepping in for Guillaume today. David.

Electoral law in the EU

Q (YourDemocracy and Shum.info): Thank you, Paula, David Price, YourDemocracy and Shum.info. My question is on electoral law. So the Commission's got a huge banner on the outside of the building, vertically down of all the stories which says democracy. And I congratulate you on that, and I'm wondering when we're going to have it in the European Union. All the treaties from the beginning, from 1951, Paris Treaty, says there should be universal suffrage in the European Parliament, European Assemblies it was. And I'm wondering when this is going to happen. There was a plan in 1960 that there should be one person, one vote for the European Parliament. And that didn't happen. And I'm wondering, it's also in the present treaties that there should be universal suffrage, one person, one vote. And I'm wondering whether any discussions were made with the Parliament in the recent agreement about putting one person, one vote in for the elections, the coming elections. Every time I raise this question, it's either too early or too late. So I'm asking the question now because we've got adequate amount of time to have one person, one vote for the elections. And there's also, you know, efforts from the 1960 plan about how it could be done. So can you update us on what is happening about one person, one vote in the European Union?

Spokesperson: Thanks, David, for the question. The voting rules for both Parliament and also the Commission is regulated in the treaty, and we have nothing to add at this stage. Thank you. I have one question online, also to Marcus, Tomaso Leca.

Entry-exit system concerns

Q (Politico Europe): Yes, hi, thank you for the floor, Tomaso Leca with Politico Europe. I have a question about the entry-exit system, because I see that Ryanair has written to European governments. Tomaso, I'm going to interrupt you. I'm sorry. It's not very, very clear. So if you can speak a bit more loudly so that we hear you well. Can you hear me fine? Yeah. Okay. So I was saying that Ryanair today has written to European governments asking them to suspend the entry-exit system until September, saying that Greece has already done it. And this request comes after several other aviation lobbies, even non-European ones, ask for similar suspensions of the new border management system. So first, can you confirm that the Greek government suspended the entry-exit system until September? Is this in line with the EU rules? And second, what is your reaction to the many requests to suspend the system for the summer season? Thank you.

Spokesperson: Thanks, Tomaso, for the question. Maybe a couple of words in general on the entry-exit system and how it's working. The entry-exit system is fully operational across all Scheng countries. Europe has now the most modern IT border system in the world. The core purpose of this new system is to make our borders more secure and to protect EU citizens. And we see already very good results since its introduction, namely in October 2025. You remember this is a gradual rollout. More than 61 million entries and exits were registered, as well as almost 30,000 refusals of entry. And we have already 770 persons who were identified as posing a security threat to the Union and not let in. So now what we can see from the first weeks of what happened since the system is working full, in the overwhelming majority of member states there are no issues. The system is overall working very well. We see very quick processing times in the number of member states. The average is around 70 seconds, and we have some member states where it is 30 seconds. There are a few member states where technical issues have been detected, and this can be expected in the first days of the introduction of such a major new system. This is normal. So now we will continue to provide the necessary support as the Commission, but this is of course for member states on the ground to see and implement and correct any problems that might occur. We are in close contact with all the member states and ready also to update on any new developments. And again, this is a major new system. We have millions of new travellers, non-EU citizens, coming from all over the world to Europe every week. We see that it's working very well in almost all cases, but you cannot avoid with such an amount of travellers that there are sometimes incidents, and those incidents are not always, and in most of the cases actually, related to the introduction of the entry-exit system. There are many reasons why there can be queues in airports. Sometimes it can be the entry-exit system, and it has been, but not always. And as I've said, overall, this is working very well. Thank you, Marcos, for putting it into the broader context indeed. David.

Suspension of entry-exit system

Q (Radio Radical): Thank you. It's a follow-up, and David Carretta, Radio Radical, thank you for the opportunity. Two questions, Marcos. The first one, if the situation is the one that you have just described, why so many actors, airlines companies, airports, and so on, are asking the suspension until September? The second question, it's a follow-up, how many countries, I don't know if you can name it, have taken the opportunity to suspend the system, and for which, or how many airports? Thank you.

Spokesperson: Thanks very much, David, for the question. That allows me to clarify the matter of suspensions, or maybe we should rather say flexibilities, because there is in-built flexibility in the entry-exit system. That means until the end of summer, at least, there are possibilities in peak situations when authorities see that there are queues to suspend certain functionalities of the system, namely the ones that cost the most of the time, which is the registration of the biometrics. So this is something that is in-built in the system, this is something that is allowed in the system, and this is something that member-state authorities are using already, very much so. So we have these flexibilities in-built, they can be used. They are, however, difficult to track, because this is something that can be done on an ad hoc basis, on an everyday basis. It's normal, and we encourage member-states to make use of the possibilities they have to make the system function properly. Sir, what was the first question? Number of suspensions, I think, we're asking. I cannot, if the situation is so smooth as the one you have described in your answer to Tommaso, why the vast majority of the actors, airline companies, airports, some governments, are asking to suspend the system until the end of the summer season? Thank you, David. No, what I can tell you is that we are talking to member-states on a daily basis. We are also in touch with other stakeholders, and what I can say is basically what I've just said. Overall, the system is very well. I'm not saying that there haven't been any issues. There have also been issues in the number of member-states. In some member-states, these issues are being addressed, but we see that overall, given the fact that this is millions of travellers on a daily basis, the introduction has been going rather smoothly so far. And as Marco said very clearly, it is normal that with the rolling out of such a big, important system, that there may be some issues to tackle, and those are the ones you hear, but you're not hearing when things do go smoothly and when indeed hundreds of thousands of passengers every day are going through the system without any further problems. Good. And with this, we move to a different topic. I have many questions online. I have many questions in the room, and I will now give the floor online to Sofia. Sofia Sanchez. Are you there, Sofia? Otherwise, there are plenty of candidates.

Q: Sofia is not there. So I'll take Gabriel, please. Okay, go ahead.

EU budget and resources

Q: Thank you very much, Paolo. It's a question on the budget, which I believe is Toma today. In Cyprus, the European Commission President called for new own resources, said we need to have the massive 1.9 trillion MFF to pay for more Europe. And it's a surprisingly popular position. It's shared by the European Council President. It's shared by the Parliament. The only question I have is whether anyone forgot to tell the people paying for it. Because since then, you've seen a bit of a rebellion from countries like Germany, the Nordics that say the budget is too big. This call for own resources challenges national competencies. And the Commission is going to have to back down. Are you prepared to back down after having spent all the money on the big press conference, announcing the massive figure? And was there a bit of a communications mess-up when it came to getting capitals on board with the plans?

Spokesperson: When it comes to? Sorry, can you repeat that? Getting capitals on board with the plans. Okay, good. And indeed, as you said very well, we are a versatile team over here. And we colleagues step in for each other. And we have Thomas stepping in on budgetary questions today. Now, let me just say as an introduction that you know well the Commission put forward its multi-financial framework proposal last year to cover indeed the next financial period. And it was very clear on one very obvious reality, which is we are asking and expecting Europe to be more active on a broader set of areas. And we are all seeing it from defence, you name it, with the same amount of resources. It cannot work, right? And that's why in the MFF proposal that the Commission put forward, there was a very clear solution to this difficulty, to this challenge, which is we do need more own resources if we do not want Member States to increase their national contributions. And that addresses your question. Indeed, Member States are not keen on increasing their national contributions. So if there is no increase of national contributions, there are not a million options. Then we need to have new own resources. And that was part of the proposal by the Commission. You know that this was precisely one of the focus of the discussions in the informal council last week in Cyprus, where the issue of own resources was discussed. And it was the first of certainly many to come. But it's very clear that there is not a million possible solutions in how to go about more targets, more responsibilities. And if we don't have more national contributions, then the only possibility ahead is new own resources. Anything to add? Not a lot to add, Paula. Just on the reference, was it a comms mistake? Definitely not. It is a very ambitious proposal, indeed, to match Europe's ambition and the challenges we're currently facing. It is a proposal on capitals being on board or not. As you know very well, Gabriel, it's now up for the Council and the Parliament to agree, and they definitely have the possibility now to discuss and to get us through the process. Good. Other questions to Thomas? And he is very broad portfolio today. No. Okay. We can change topic now, Jennifer.

Budget control and accountability

Q (The Guardian): Thank you, Jennifer Rankin at The Guardian. Switching to budget control, and in the context of the European Parliament discharge procedure yesterday, they voted on a resolution which contained some very serious, strong criticisms of Commissioner Varhely to quote serious and prolonged management failures. It's DG Nier as well as questioning whether he'd shown accountability, reliability and sound administration. So your colleagues have kindly given me a bilateral reply on the technicalities, including on when a commissioner may resign, given the rapporteur's call for his resignation. But my question to you today is simply, does President von der Leyen have confidence in Commissioner Varhely, and does she wish him to stay in his position?

Spokesperson: Well, Jennifer, I can say that the President has confidence in all the members of the College. So there's no news there. Other questions? Yes, please. From Agence France-Presse.

Mercosur agreement implementation

Q (Agence France-Presse): Tomorrow, provisional application of the Mercosur agreement kicks in, the agreement Mercosur-EU. Now, if you're my grandma, who isn't as assiduously following treaties as some of us in this room are, if you're explaining to people like her, what would you say? How is this going to change tomorrow? I mean, as you probably know, the people in France are a wee bit worried about this.

Spokesperson: Yes, thank you. Yes. Thank you for the question. It enables us to remind ourselves what's happening tomorrow and the benefits that it will bring. Yes, thank you, Camille. Before I reply fully, I'd just like to remind you all that the news came out just now. With a lot

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