On the agenda: Brexit (obviously), Dieselgate, Hurricane Irma, migration and Libya.

On the podium: Commission deputy spokeswoman Mina Andreeva.

Emissions scandal: The European Commission and EU consumer authorities sent a letter to Volkswagen “urging the group to swiftly repair all cars affected by the ‘dieselgate’ scandal.”

• VW secured EU money by fraud for Dieselgate engine: Watchdog
• Germany’s car city drives on after Dieselgate

Hurricane devastation: Andreeva said the Commission was closely watching developments in the Caribbean and “working around the clock” to do “the best it can to support people in need.” France asked the EU’s satellite system Copernicus to map disaster-hit areas (several French islands were affected). Andreeva added that humanitarian experts are already on the ground in Haiti and the Dominican Republic, which are in the path of the hurricane.

Migration and Libya: The European Commission and the EU’s diplomatic service have seen an open letter from the head of Médecins sans Frontières, Joanne Liu, on the poor treatment of migrants by authorities in Libya. Catherine Ray, the Commission spokeswoman for foreign affairs, said the Commission is aware of human rights issues but the EU is not neglecting the protection of migrants.

Commission refused to talk about: Andreeva managed to dodge several questions on whether the EU’s Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier has changed his mind since he said in July “that the United Kingdom had not yet really engaged in the negotiations or spelled out its positions.” After the midday, Barnier presented a new set of Brexit position papers.

• UK cannot used Northern Ireland as post-Brexit  ‘test case,’ says Michel Barnier

Commissioners on stage: The midday started 30 minutes late, after the European commissioner for the security union, Julian King, presented a progress report on the EU’s security agenda, and European commissioner for trade Cecilia Malmström spoke about the launch of a global alliance for “torture free trade.”