Angela Merkel has announced that France and Germany will seek progress at EU level in refugee policy over the coming months. "We will have European elections in a few months, but we still want to make a difference," said the Chancellor at a meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron in Marseille Merkel with a view to the election at the end of May 2019. "Europe must also address this issue to prove."
Germany and France wanted to make the migration "a chance, not a fears," stressed Macron. He responded to statements by Federal Interior Minister Horst Seehofer (CSU), who had called the migration "the mother of all political problems in this country".
Both countries have the same approach in migration policy, Merkel assured. "Germany and France continue to work together to prepare the future," added Macron. The Mediterranean must be perceived as an opportunity, not as a threat, he said in addition via Twitter.
Macron, Merkel and the other EU heads of state and government want to discuss migration policy in Salzburg on 20 September. The issue is causing considerable tension in the 28 community, especially since the populist government in Italy has refused to allow ships with Mediterranean-rescued migrants to enter ports.
Macron insisted on a permanent European procedure for the distribution of these rescued migrants, it said from the environment of the President. "EU rules and the principle of solidarity must be observed," it said from the environment of the head of state. Paris also insists on making progress in setting up central refugee collectors in the EU.