Fernando Grande-Marlaska and Luciana Lamorgese highlight common ground in Spanish and Italian home affairs

The two ministers underlined the importance of collaboration by Member States of the European Union with the countries of origin and transit, asking the European Union (EU) to build a genuine partnership with Africa focused on development and well-being.

The two ministers also agreed on the need for a common and consensual position on the reform of migration and asylum policies. In this regard, they said that the proposed Spanish-Italian joint document currently being drafted with their other Mediterranean partners is a good starting point that highlights the challenges faced by the southern EU States.

Fernando Grande-Marlaska and Luciana Lamorgese stressed the importance of broadening the search for common ground to other countries and highlighted the need to raise awareness to ensure that the equal distribution of responsibility can become a reality.

In this regard, they expressed the need to overcome the principle of responsibility for the country of first entry while encouraging solidarity between Member States, one of the founding principles of the European Union and one that is enshrined in Article 80 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union.

Non official translation