Italy out to give EU 'hope, passion' during presidency-Renzi

Barroso says EC fully supports Rome's reforms

(ANSA) - Rome, July 4 - The chief goal of Italy's duty presidency of the EU is to restore "hope, passion and enthusiasm in EU citizens, who are our stakeholders, the reason we work," Premier Matteo Renzi said after meeting European Commission chief José Manuel Barroso in Rome Friday.

Barroso led a EC delegation visiting Rome after Renzi kicked off Italy's six-month presidency with an address to the European Parliament on Wednesday. During that speech Renzi said that if the EU took a selfie today it would show "fatigue, resignation and boredom" and he reiterated his call for the union to focus on promoting growth and fighting unemployment after years of painful austerity. The speech drew criticism from members of the centre-right European People's Party (EPP) and from the Bundesbank, which are against Renzi's drive for greater flexibility in the implementation of the EU's budget rules.

Renzi, the leader of the centre-left Democratic Party (PD), replied Friday by saying that the EU belongs to its citizens, "not the bankers, neither Italian or German ones". "Italy did not request flexibility. Europe needs flexibility, not Italy. What Italy needs is reform, which is what we are doing," Renzi added, referring to the ambitious reform programme his government has embarked on. Barroso said the EC fully supported Renzi's drive and said the EU needed his "enthusiasm" and "passion". "We need a strong Italy for a strong Europe," he added. But Barroso also said that the EU was not imposing reforms as Italy needed these anyway.

He also stressed that Italy had not won any changes on fiscal rules at last week's EU summit, just clarification that all the existing scope for flexibility in the budget regulations should be used. "Flexibility was increased when we revised the Growth and Stability pact. The reform is already there but within full respect of the pact, as sanctioned by our treaties," Barroso said.