(ANSA) - Rome, June 22 - Premier Paolo Gentiloni reiterated Thursday that the European Union must do more to help Italy cope with the Mediterranean asylum-seeker crisis after a bilateral meeting with European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker. "Greater commitment is needed both in economic terms and in terms of political decisions," Gentiloni said as he went into a meeting of the Party of European Socialists before the start of the European Summit. "It is necessary to recognise that the Commission and Jean-Claude Juncker are aware of this commitment.

"I hope that this translates into a refinancing of the fund for Africa, which the Commission will promote". Juncker told Gentiloni that Italy can "continue to count on European solidarity" during the bilateral, an EC spokesperson said. The spokesperson said the two agreed in particular on the "need for the EU and member states to speed up implementation of the agreed-upon actions in the Malta Declaration" as well as "ensure sufficient financing to face the migrant influx from Libya".

Gentiloni thanked Juncker for the record EU solidarity fund allocation of 1.2 billion euros for the parts of Italy hit by a recent series of earthquakes.

