EU founding members meet in Rome to reinforce the need for Unity

Representatives from the EU’s six original member states have met in Rome to discuss various challenges faced by Brussels. They stressed the need for solidarity while also acknowledging it was a bad time for the bloc.

Against a backdrop of deep divisions within the EU over the migration crisis, the bloc’s six founding members put on a united front at a meeting in Rome on Tuesday (2/9/16).

Germany, France, Italy, Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg pledged to pursue “ever closer union”, although they acknowledged that the EU was facing “very challenging times.”

Italian Foreign Minister, Paolo Gentiloni, said: “Without any doubt, Europe is going through one of its hardest moments since its foundation around 60 years ago – what with the combination of migration flows, terrorist threats, the challenge of the UK referendum and the protracted consequences of the financial and economic crisis.”

The six nations said in a statement that they were “concerned” about the state of “the European project.”

“Indeed, it appears to be facing very challenging times. It is in these critical times that we, as founding members, feel particularly called upon.”

The original signatories of the Treaty of Rome also said in the statement: “We remain resolved to continue the process of creating an ever closer union among the people of Europe.”

They called for better management of external borders, while preserving freedom of movement within the bloc.

Deep divisions

The statement offered no concrete policy proposals, even as member states differ over how to handle the influx of refugees into Europe.

“Europe is successful when we overcome narrow self-interest in the spirit of solidarity,” the foreign ministers emphasized.

The meeting came a week after a draft agreement between Brussels and British Prime Minister David Cameron that allows the UK to opt out of the much-touted “ever closer union.” (AP, Reuters, dpa)

Read original updates from Euronews, here and DW, here.