Meloni and Martin discuss reducing energy costs across EU during Rome meeting
By Gráinne Ní Aodha, Press Association
Taoiseach Micheál Martin and Italian prime minister Giorgia Meloni discussed reducing energy costs across Europe “at length” during a meeting in Rome on Friday.
Micheál Martin has said competitiveness will be a “key focus” of its presidency of the EU Council, which begins in July.
He said Ireland would advance the One Europe, One Market roadmap, which aims to secure a “step change” in Europe’s economic performance through simplified rules, deepening the Single Market, and driving AI transformation.
Reducing energy costs across Europe is also part of the strategy, which Martin said they discussed “at length”.
“The deadline we have set for ourselves for this task (the roadmap) is very ambitious, but as president we will put our full weight behind achieving them,” he said during a joint press conference at the Palazzo Chigi after the meeting.
“I am in full agreement with prime minister Meloni that the competitiveness challenge is vital for the continued prosperity and success in Europe.
“We are committed to giving this our best shot,” he said of negotiating the EU budget at a time of economic “challenge”.
Martin said they both discussed the conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East.
He praised Italy’s “significant” contribution to humanitarian aid for Gaza and said both nations were “unswerving” in their support for Ukraine.
“I want to acknowledge the work of prime minister Meloni and the Italian government in terms of its humanitarian work in Gaza and the West Bank and Lebanon.
“A very strong contributor.
“We do need much higher volumes of humanitarian aid to be allowed into Gaza, we need an end to violence in the West Bank, with the settlements that are occurring there, and we need to open up a genuine pathway for dialogue for a resolution of these conflicts.”
He said they had “successful” discussions on a range of issues and thanked Meloni for her “warm” welcome and support for the Irish presidency of the EU.
