Meloni-Michel in talks in Rome: Next EU Council on the table.

Rome – The future of Europe on the table in the talks between Giorgia Meloni and Charles Michel at Palazzo Chigi. The backdrop is the Strategic Agenda 2024-2029, which will be presented in June, but the discussion is mainly about the upcoming European Council, the last one before the elections.

Charles Michel speaks of a “very good meeting” and makes no predictions about the future of the institutions. He also does not mince words with those who ask him about a possible role for Mario Draghi: “Voters will make their own choice, and then, based on the results, we can go and see the direction of the European Council and agree on an agenda on future developments.”

The two leaders discuss the upcoming extraordinary European Council, to be held next April 17 and 18. Among the topics on the leaders’ agenda will be the competitiveness of European companies, but there was also an overview of ongoing crises: Ukraine, the Middle East, and risks to Europe. Meloni points to the agricultural sector as one of the Union’s competitive resources in which to invest. She called for rapid implementation of the CAP and measures to relieve financial pressure on farmers, agreed upon at the March European Council.

The Italian side, explained a note from Palazzo Chigi, indicated, in particular, “the strengthening of European competitiveness and economic resilience, the common management of the migration phenomenon, collaboration in the security and defence sphere as well as the enlargement policy.” President Meloni also stressed, as a precondition for achieving these goals, “the need to ensure adequate common resources to support the related investments.”

“Competitiveness is a central issue on the agenda,” Michel explains after the meeting. The capital market union, he notes, “needs more investment to address climate change, digital innovation and also to create opportunities for economic revitalization.”

Among the Union’s competitive resources to be invested in, Meloni singled out the agricultural sector while hoping for “rapid implementation of the review of the Common Agricultural Policy and measures to alleviate the financial pressure on farmers agreed at the March European Council.”

The focus is also on immigration because yesterday, the European Parliament gave the green light to the asylum pact, and the final approval from the European Council is awaited. Eyes are on the stability of Lebanon, an issue that the Council will address at Italy’s request next week. “We support every effort to address the migration issue,” assures Michel, who says that with Italy, Europe works on third countries of origin and transit.

The premier is not distracted from the external dimension and partnerships with African countries. On Wednesday, before flying to Brussels, she will return to Tunis for the fourth time in a year to discuss the Mattei Plan and joint developments.