We’re going to keep you up-to-speed on the European Commission’s daily press briefing, with a condensed version on this blog, including whatever we can add from the discussions that happen off-camera in the Berlaymont press room.

Missiles and missives

The Commission expressed concern at an Iranian missile test that took place Sunday, but conceded that such tests do not breach Iran’s international nuclear deal.

Beyond Iran, the Commission spent most of its midday press briefing fending off questions about its rules to limit the lobbying work of former European commissioners.

The barrage of questions followed publication of a Transparency International report which showed 51 recently departed MEPs and 15 ex-members of the Barroso Commission (2009-2014) are now working for organizations on the EU’s lobby register.

Send your criticism elsewhere, Commission says

Commission chief spokesman Margaritis Schinas suggested that attacks on the Commission’s ethics system were unfair, noting that rules have been tightened and cooling-off periods extended from 18 months to two years for commissioners and three years for ex-Commission presidents. The changes followed an uproar in 2016 about Barroso getting a job at Goldman Sachs.

“We feel very alone in regulating so tightly our ethics,” said Schinas. Younger commissioners especially “need to be able to make a living” after they leave the Commission, he said, claiming “these are the tightest rules you will find” in any international organization or national government.

New rules for 31 dangerous chemicals

The rules provide employers, workers and watchdogs with a maximum level of exposure to the chemicals in the workplace, as part of the Chemical Agents Directive. Twenty-five chemicals have been added to the list, with updates to another six substances. The list is here.

Sorry is the hardest word

Saying sorry doesn’t come easy for Schinas, but he had little choice today after President Jean-Claude Juncker insisted on hosting a short press conference with new Bulgarian President Rumen Radev, contradicting Schinas who had earlier said there wouldn’t be a press conference.

Schinas ruled out “categorically” the suggestion that Juncker was avoiding journalists keen to ask him about Donald Trump’s travel ban and immigration policy.