Prime Minister Andrej Babiš met Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on 29 September 2026 to discuss reform of emissions trading, the European Union budget and bilateral cooperation.
Prime Minister Andrej Babiš (ANO) held talks on Tuesday, 29 September 2026, with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who was visiting Prague. The two politicians presented their positions on the talks at a press conference [1][2][3][4].
Emissions allowances
According to Meloni, Italy and Czechia have drawn up a list of topics for the European Union summit in October. At the summit they want to present proposals for reform of the ETS 1 system, which covers emission allowances for industry, and they are pushing for allowance trading to become more transparent. In her words, the system must not push up energy prices or endanger Europe's competitiveness on world markets. Babiš described raising Europe's competitiveness as a key shared topic for both countries [1][2][3][4].
European Union budget
Meloni saw room for cooperation in the negotiations on the European Union's multiannual financial framework for 2028 to 2034. She said both countries consider it necessary to keep sufficient funding for the common agricultural policy and for cohesion policy, which is meant to even out differences between weaker and stronger regions. In her view, the budget should also provide for funding of the defence industry [1][2][3][4].
Migration and crises in Europe's neighbourhood
Meloni praised the cooperation with Czechia on migration so far, which she said had produced results at the EU level as well. She named as fundamental the principle that the European Union cannot resolve illegal migration by having each state shift responsibility onto its neighbours. She also called for a stronger role for the Union in dealing with crises in its surroundings, such as the war in Ukraine and the conflict in the Middle East [1][2][3][4].
Action plan to 2030
Babiš highlighted the action plan for strategic bilateral and EU-level cooperation between Czechia and Italy up to 2030, which he wants to turn into concrete projects benefiting citizens and the economy. According to him, the countries also agreed on a joint exhibition about Pompeii and Herculaneum in 2028 [2].
A document published by the Italian government office provides for maintaining dialogue between the governments and authorities of the two countries and for coordinating positions in the European Union, in NATO and in other international institutions. It concerns in particular security, EU enlargement, migration, the environment, trade and transatlantic cooperation. Separate chapters deal with economic cooperation, infrastructure, defence, science, culture, education and tourism [2].
Chronology
- — Prime Minister Andrej Babiš held talks with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on emission allowances and on funding for farmers within the European Union. Novinky.cz FORUM 24
Sources
- Novinky.cz — 29 September 2026
- FORUM 24 — 29 September 2026
- Hospodářské noviny — 29 September 2026
- Ekolist.cz — 30 September 2026