Schulz on the meeting with the President of the Italian Republic, Sergio Mattarella

"Since the beginning of European integration, successive Presidents of the Italian Republic have helped in shaping, debating and communicating the benefits of a united Europe. I thank President Mattarella for choosing the European Parliament and European institutions as part of his first foreign visit. This sends a strong signal about the resolute and continuing support of the Italian presidency to the strengthening of the European project.

I thank President Mattarella for his words to the Italian Parliament upon his swearing-in, on Europe's role in helping Italy meeting today's global challenges and the need to boldly re-launch political Europe.

We discussed the economic crisis and the economic governance framework. The crisis has led to greater inequalities, social exclusion and a spike in unemployment, especially among the young. Reforms and a firmer focus on growth must be central at the national and EU level to accelerate the recovery and reverse these dangerous social trends.

The migrants' tragedies in the Mediterranean also featured prominently in our discussion. The Mediterranean is today the deadliest border in the world and it is Europe's border. Europe needs to urgently develop a comprehensive migration policy which encompasses the sources of migration, the management of the EU's external border and genuine EU solidarity. The crisis in Libya also poses a geopolitical, security and humanitarian challenge to the EU and no diplomatic effort must be spared to bring the country back from the risk of fragmentation and extremism."