Midday brief, in brief

Today at Commission, Juncker’s leaving, Moscovici speaks out

Juncker greets Austrian leaders, confirms that he’s not hanging around.

It was a busy Monday at the European Commission, with economic forecasts for all EU countries and the Austrian top brass in town.

But first … Jean-Claude Juncker.

The Commission president’s interview with German media at the weekend hit the headlines as he said he wouldn’t be seeking a second term. Spokesman Margaritis Schinas said the Commission was surprised at the reaction as this “was already known.” Schinas said that back in December his boss had said the same thing to German media, and he apparently told Luxembourg press about his plans in 2014, the year he took office.

“Five years is enough,” Juncker confirmed at a press conference with Austria’s Alexander Van der Bellen and Christian Kern.

“Eighty percent of the proposals [I made in the 2014 European election campaign] have been put forward to the Parliament and the Council of Ministers,” Juncker said, adding that he will spend the rest of his mandate concentrating on defense policy, social issues and reforms of the eurozone.

Schinas declined to comment on a tweet sent in May 2016 by Juncker’s chief of staff Martin Selmayr in which he suggested the former prime minister of Luxembourg might seek a second term.

He also declined to comment on a “joke” that Selmayr will replace Juncker at the head of the Commission.

Economic forecast and Le Pen factor

The EU’s economy will rise 1.7 percent this year and 1.8 percent in 2018, it said today as it unveiled its winter economic forecasts. All EU countries are expected to grow this year, it believes.

Pierre Moscovici, the French socialist who is commissioner for economic affairs, couldn’t resist having a say on French politics as he announced the results of the forecasts. He said the center-right’s François Fillon’s claims that he would negotiate a national budget outside the EU’s rules on budget deficits would endanger France’s credibility.

He also said Marine Le Pen’s push to leave the eurozone and the EU “would be a catastrophe for France, and would put an end to the European integration that was based on the Franco-German relationship.”

Moscovici will travel to Athens later this week to discuss the Greek bailout with Finance Minister Euclid Tsakalotos, as POLITICO reported on Friday.

Österreich Day

Just after Moscovici finished speaking and Juncker was on show with Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen and Chancellor Christian Kern. Juncker congratulated the former on his election win (at the second time of asking) in December and said he was glad Brussels had been chosen as the venue for his first trip outside Austria.

Kern, the center-left chancellor, said going to Brussels “was a special trip” as “the EU is needed more than never”in the wake of Brexit, Donald Trump’s election win and the rise of populism.

The three leaders said they discussed Austria’s plan to reform its labour laws to tackle social dumping.

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Despite claims the move would restrict the freedom of workers in the EU, Juncker did not publicly condemn the plan as social dumping is not what “the single market is for.”

College of  commissioners

The college of commissioners will meet in Strasbourg this week and discuss comitology reforms — as POLITICO previewed last week.

The Commission will also discuss its future relationship with the TV station Euronews as NBC gets closer to buying a significant stake in the broadcaster.

Bjarke Smith-Meyer contributed to this article.