Natasha Bertaud

The European Commission stands ready to support Greece operationally through its agencies, such as the European Asylum Office (EASO), Europol and the European border and coast guard, if the country submits a relevant request, EU Commission spokesperson Natasha Bertaud said on Monday.

The European Commission has said that the European Union is ready for Brexit without a deal and that such a variant would most likely hurt the UK, Reuters reported.

The Commission does not currently consider it necessary to take any further steps to prepare for such a scenario, EC spokeswoman Natasha Bertaud said at a briefing.

European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker won't attend the G7 summit in France for health reasons, an EC spokeswoman said today, quoted by Reuters and BTA.

Commission spokesperson said Juncker had a successful and an urgent cholecystectomy over the weekend and doctors advised him not to take a trip.

The European Commission on Wednesday reacted to comments by Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu who earlier this week suggested that Ankara will cancel a migrant readmission agreement with the European Union should the bloc fail to deliver on its promise of visa-free travel for Turkish citizens.

The European Commission could not confirm allegations of mishandling of EU funds provided to improve living conditions for migrants and refugees in Greece, a spokesperson said Wednesday, adding that the issue had been referred to the bloc's anti-fraud agency, OLAF, which is responsible for investigating such cases.

The agreement between Greece and Turkey for the return of migrants that Ankara suspended on Thursday is a "point of reference" for the EU-Turkey statement  on readmissions and constitutes a precondition for the abolition of visas for Turkish citizens, European Commission spokeswoman Natasha Bertaud said on Friday.

Europe's border and coast guard forces are prepared to help Greece manage a recent spike in migrant and refugee arrivals by land and sea, European Commission spokesperson Natasha Bertaud said on Friday.

European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker will visit Athens on Thursday, April 26, spokeswoman Natasha Bertaud has confirmed.

The EU's chief executive is scheduled to meet with President Prokopis Pavlopoulos at 10 a.m. He will then hold talks with Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, before a joint press conference at 11.30 a.m.

A recent rift between Athens and Berlin over increased security checks on travelers arriving in Germany from Greece appears to be on the mend following a meeting between representatives from the two countries and an official at the European Commission in Brussels on Thursday.

Italy is putting its hopes for managing the migrant crisis on a new, Libya-requested mission to support the North African nation's coast guard after suffering a rebuke by humanitarian groups.