Scholz tells Italy's Meloni migration a common challenge

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said migration is a challenge that European countries "can only overcome together."

Migration featured high on the agenda of talks between Scholz and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni in Berlin on Friday.

She was on her first official visit to Germany since she became prime minister's following an election that saw her far-right party make gains due in part due to its tough stance on migration to Europe.

"We can't allow immigration policy to be decided by people smugglers," Meloni said during a joint press conference with Scholz.

She added that if illegal migration could be stopped there might be more scope to increase migration by legal channels.

Meloni repeated her goal of establishing centers outside the EU to evaluate asylum applications.

Scholz said it was important to find agreements with the origin countries to return illegal migrants, but he added that the EU must keep legal channels for migration open.

"There should be legal ways to migrate to the EU," he said, noting that "Europe needs immigration."

EU wants to avoid subsidy race with US

Differences between Germany and Italy over a proposed EU plan to offset a US domestic green-tech spending spree were also on show.

A proposal unveiled by the European Commission earlier this week streamlined regulation, relaxed state aid rules, worker skills and using trade agreements to ensure critical raw material supply.

The Commission's plans are in response to the US Inflation Reduction Act. The US spending package, which includes $369 billion (€341 billion) for energy security and climate change programs, has raised concerns in Europe over unfair subsidization that could see EU businesses disadvantaged, or even encourage firms to base themselves stateside to benefit from planned tax credits.

Meloni urged "full flexibility" on using EU funds to boost the bloc's competitiveness.

She urged "caution" to ensure the EU's proposals do not weaken the bloc's single market. Italy is concerned that Germany and France would have an advantage when they offer subsidies or tax cuts.

"We are all in agreement that we don't want to enter a worldwide subsidy competition," Scholz said.

"That would be terrible, not so many could keep up — some countries maybe, but that also would not be the goal of things," he added.

Meloni not 'allergic' to German

Meloni was quoted in a 2019 newspaper article as saying she was "allergic" to German, but on Friday she said she had no memory of making that comment.

"I don't know when I was supposed to have said that," she said.

"I failed at German — you just fail — but not because I'm allergic," she added.

It did not appear to hamper Scholz's enthusiasm for pursuing closer ties with his southern neighbor.

He said the two countries were working "very intensively" together.

Scholz said plans to visit Rome later this year were ongoing.

lo/fb (AFP, dpa, Reuters)