03/10/2017 (Agence Europe) – On Tuesday 3 October, the Vice President in charge of Economic and Monetary Affairs, Jyrki Katainen, informed journalists that the question of the referendum on the independence of Catalonia had not being discussed during the meeting of the College of Commissioners held shortly beforehand. He explained that, “We did not discuss what the European Commission could do or should do. As Jean-Claude Junker (the President of the European Commission) said, it is an internal matter”. The European Commission has been called on to take action by many political actors as a mediator between Spain and Catalonia, particularly by the autonomous region itself. The Commission, however, is taking a very cautious line, much to the consternation of Catalonia (see EUROPE 11874). (PH)