The talks were aimed at forging a common position as part of the three leaders’ preparations for an informal summit in Bratislava next month of the 27 states that would remain in the European Union after Britain leaves.
Advertisement
After a series of deadly attacks by the Islamic State group, the three leaders were also expected to explore greater cooperation on counter-terrorism and an integrated European security and defence policy – a cherished objective that some analysts say could be easier to achieve after sceptical Britain departs.
The leaders of Italy, France and Germany vowed Monday to improve Europe’s defense and economic prospects as they paid tribute to one of the founding fathers of European unity in a symbolic bid to relaunch the EU after Britain’s vote to leave.
Together with Greece, Italy is the main entry-point for migrants and refugees heading for Europe and has sought more help from its European Union partners to handle the hundreds of thousands of people arriving by sea, many of whom are fleeing war and poverty in countries such as Syria, Eritrea, Somalia and Afghanistan.
Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi hosted Merkel and French President François Hollande in an effort to prepare the groundwork for the Bratislava summit in September, which will not include the United Kingdom, to discuss the impact of Brexit.
“Europe is not the problem. That’s not the case”, Mr Renzi said.
The three leaders also warned that Europe needed to turn away from populism. “Immigration? It’s Europe’s fault”. The economy is bad?
For Merkel, the visit to Ventotene marked the start of a string of meetings with other EU leaders to discuss the post-Brexit EU, with visits to Estonia, the Czech Republic and Poland in the coming days and meetings with the leaders of Slovakia and Hungary in Warsaw.
They will all face discontented voters soon – Renzi holds a crucial referendum in the autumn, Merkel and Hollande face general elections next year – leaving them with little room for manoeuvre.
At the EU’s summit last June leaders also agreed to resettle another 20,000 refugees who are now outside the EU.
But cracks were already visible as Merkel has shown little enthusiasm for loosening economic rules to allow more economic flexibility for debt-stricken Italy and struggling France.
“The stability pact has a lot of flexibility that we have to apply in a smart way”, Merkel said.
He said: “It is true that there was a slowdown of growth in the second quarter, and we must quash – as much as possible – all of the uncertainties and give an additional spur [to growth]”.
Hollande called for an European Union investment fund for infrastructure, education, research and innovation to be beefed up.
The interior minister praised German Chancellor Angela Merkel for wanting to be on the “right side of history” in welcoming more than a million refugees, even if it might cost her votes.
Advertisement
The talks on Monday mark the beginning of a week of meetings for Merkel with other European governments that will see her travel to four countries and receive leaders from another eight.
