FLASH
Shkruar nga Pamfleti
The Italian and German governments agreed on broad cooperation in Rome. A key aspect of the agreement was their shared goal of advancing European integration...
King Charles was in Italy last April; there were beautiful sights and sounds: mounted policemen in historical uniforms, flags, fanfares, anthems: a truly magnificent display.
Giorgia Meloni spared no expense for Friedrich Merz. The German Chancellor, who arrived in Rome on Friday with a sizeable government delegation, was not received at Palazzo Chigi, the government headquarters in the city center, but, like Charles, at Villa Doria Pamphilj, a magnificent Roman residence of a patrician located a little further away, surrounded by a large, majestic park.
On equal terms
There is no doubt that Giorgia Meloni attaches great importance to a good relationship with her German counterpart. She is also doing much to cultivate it. The photos of the reception at the historic villa were intended to impress and highlight Meloni's ambition to play a leading role on the international stage. Italy no longer wants to be a junior partner in Europe, she stressed last June; on the contrary, her country must operate on equal terms with France and Germany.
The event in the Eternal City, which was accompanied by a major bilateral economic conference, also suited Friedrich Merz. After initially seeking closer ties with France, the Chancellor is now turning his attention more intensely to Italy.
Melon as a more reliable partner
Despite his strong performances on the global stage, Emmanuel Macron has weakened at home; moreover, his rejection of the Mercosur free trade agreement with South America has put him at odds with a key Merz priority.
He sees Meloni as a more reliable partner when it comes to issues such as free trade and competitiveness. The two leaders in Berlin and Rome also share a more conciliatory approach to Donald Trump than Macron.
At the meeting in the Italian capital, Merz and Meloni agreed on a far-reaching action plan, which, according to the relevant protocol, aims to raise bilateral cooperation to an "unprecedented level" "with the aim of promoting peace, security, social cohesion and prosperity for our citizens".
Apart from enhanced cooperation in the areas of security, defence and migration, the most striking aspect is their shared goal of advancing European integration and strengthening the single market. They plan to present their strategy for improving Europe's competitiveness to their EU partners at an extraordinary summit in Brussels on 12 February.
Following in the footsteps of Draghi and Letta
According to Italian media, this essentially follows a report published in the fall of 2024 by Mario Draghi, the former president of the European Central Bank and Meloni's predecessor at Palazzo Chigi.
Draghi is expected to attend the planned meeting in Brussels, as is former Italian Prime Minister Enrico Letta, who himself is the author of a widely-recognized report on the end of the single market.
The Italian-German proposals are mainly aimed at removing regulatory obstacles and simplifying bureaucracy. Among them are some controversial ideas. According to "Corriere della Sera", Italy and Germany are proposing a significant acceleration of administrative procedures, including the introduction of the tacit consent criterion. Under this criterion, companies and citizens would automatically receive approval for a project if official authorization is not obtained within a certain time frame.
Furthermore, the introduction of the so-called 28th legal system will be accelerated. This is an optional EU legal framework that would complement the 27 existing national legal systems and allow companies to use a single set of rules within the EU, rather than adapting to each country individually.
"Europe must decide whether it wants to take its fate into its own hands or simply accept it," Meloni said at a joint press conference in Rome on Friday. It takes courage and a sense of responsibility to turn crises into opportunities. /Adapted from NZZ /
Europa, me vjen keq, por ka shkuar per lesh! Kam frike se kur te behet Shqiperia gati per te hyre ne BE, ajo do jete shperndare. Si gjithmone kemi fatin kunder.