Multi-speed EU a necessity says Gentilon

(ANSA) - Rome, March 10 - Premier Paolo Gentiloni said after an informal EU summit Friday that "our message on a multi-speed Europe is very simple: we are not talking about a Europe 'a la carte', we are talking about a reality that is already happening. "It is a necessary direction of march because it allows groups of countries to take steps forward, when there is agreement among them," Gentiloni went on at the press conference. "But it is a choice that has to be made within the framework of the Treaties, enabling all to join and without any logic of exclusion".
    Gentiloni said the multi-speed Europe idea had not been hatched by the countries that recently met at Versailles - Germany, France, Italy and Spain - "against the others, or the westerners against the Visegrad Group (Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia).
    The Visegrad Group has come out against the idea of a multi-speed Europe.
    The idea, gentiloni said, "is a message that says Europe must respond to the demands of its citizens and must do so with a flexibility and rapidity that cannot depend on the fact that one or two countries have the power to prevent it".
    The Italian premier also stressed that he was against a "two-rigities Europe, very rigid on the budget and very tolerant on migrant relocation policy".
    Four EU priorities in a 10-year perspective will be indicated at the March 25 Rome summit marking the 60th anniversary of the Treaty of Rome, Gentiloni said after the Brussels summit. The priorities are a Europe of defence and security in the management of migrant flows; of growth and sustainable development and employment; a social Europe; and a Europe with a role in a world of trade and markets.
    Italy was in favour of a convergence of social policies, the Italian premier said.
    "Everyone is aware of how important the Rome Declaration will be," said Gentiloni, while German Chancellor Angela Merkel said she was "optimistic" that a "good" Declaration of Rome could be framed. He said the Rome summit would be "an opportunity to relaunch the European project".
    Among other remarks, Gentiloni also said that if Europe did not provide "prospects" in the Balkans, it would lead to tensions.