Gentiloni discusses EU with Prodi

(ANSA) - Rome, January 19 - Premier Paolo Gentiloni on Thursday spoke with former premier and ex-European Commission chief Romano Prodi about the crisis of the EU's community idea as it was conceived at its inception, sources at the premier's office in Rome said.
    The pair recognised the EU was ailing, also in the light of a recent interview by Prodi in which he was very critical of the health of the Union in the run-up to the 60th anniversary of the Treaty of Rome to be celebrated at the end of March.
    After yesterday's meeting between Gentiloni and German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Berlin, the sources said, the two men addressed topical issues like the clash between Italy and Germany over FCA emissions and government moves after the EC asked for a further budget deficit cut of 0.2% of GDP.
    Gentiloni was communications minister in Prodi's centre-left 2006-2008 government.