Italian Premier Matteo Renzi says Europe wants to “write a future chapter” after Britain’s vote to leave the European Union focusing on common defense, security and economic growth especially addressing youth unemployment. Regarding the refugee crisis affecting Europe, specially Italy, Renzi noted that in 2016 almost 102.000 people reached Italian shores, a similar figure to the one recorded during the same period of time in 2015, so migration is still a serious problem. But it’s not so. We respect the choice of the British people but we want to write an important page for the future.
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Europe needs to invest in defense, education and culture while breaking free of bureaucratic rules, Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi said on Monday ahead of a meeting with the leaders of Germany and France.
Altiero Spinelli, an Italian intellectual, wrote a manifesto on European unity while he was being held on the tiny island by the fascist authorities in 1941.
Merkel added that “the Coast Guard alone can not control maritime borders, we have to do still more”.
“We need to invest in a common defence policy, in digital innovation, in schools and culture”, he said.
Mr Renzi said 102,000 migrants had reached Italian shores so far in 2016, compared to 105,000 at this point previous year, and said help must still be available “to those who really need it”. “Defense cooperation. should be strengthened and the exchanges between our intelligence services must be intensified”.
In another symbolic move, the leaders were set to hold a working dinner and press conference on Italy’s Garibaldi aircraft carrier, the flagship of the EU’s “Sophia” mission against people trafficking in the Mediterranean.
Ms Merkel has also invited leaders from the Nordic countries, Holland, Austria and other eastern European nations for informal meetings at a government guest house in Germany.
The Brexit process has laid bare competing visions between those who view closer European integration as part of the solution and countries that want to put the EU’s institutions – and their bureaucrats in Brussels – on a shorter leash.
Merkel echoed some of the French president’s words.
The present-day leaders of the euro area’s three biggest economies will focus on both the future vision of Europe and immediate challenges such as Britain’s vote to leave the European Union, economic growth, terrorism and political turmoil in Turkey, as well as migration.
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Charting a course is hard until Britain formally begins the exit process, probably next year, and lays out proposals for its future relationship with the EU.
