a translation: however somebody here in europe were to think this crisis we are facing could be solved within the italian borders then there would be a very big and huge mistake on their side because this massive flow is something that requires

involvement and responsibility by everybody to be tackled because it is going to affect certainly the border, the frontier countries but will soon involve all the other countries so we are all involved in this, we are all involved in trying to tackle and deal with the situation and therefore the president is a sign of awareness in this respect. president is a sign of awareness in this respect-_

translation: translation: what is at stake here is the future that europe was for itself and it is very important to be able to tackle the massive challenges that lie ahead for us especially in terms of legal immigration as a challenge and president van der leyen knows this very well and since the start is been very co—operative as a suspect. is been very co-operative as a susect. , , , a

translation: it is important to work out the solutions which need to be serious and complex are long lasting and we need to work for the same aim and we need to work for the same aim and purpose, developing recording solutions because it would be meaningless if we were to have part of europe working to develop and implement solutions and another part of your because of ideological reasons working to dismantle and disassemble them. speaks italian italian. speaks italian.

translation: and i continue to repeat that we need to tackle this increasing flow of immigrants at a european level but what is needed is not the solution is looking forjust how to redistribute the migrants within europe because we would never be able to solve the problem if you want to really and seriously tackle this problem, we need to start and tackle the external dimension and we need to stop the flows and influx of illegal immigrants because we cannot find a solution which can be

favourable for one country and be at the detriment of another country. it is very important to stop the inflow of irregular migration is and this is what is being asked of us not just by the regular migrants and the families of refugees are entitled to have asylum and unfortunately also because of this problem sometimes we didn't have the opportunity to deal with the problem in a proper and appropriate way. with the problem in a proper and appmpriate way-— with the problem in a proper and appropriate way.

speaks italian. translation: which are the solutions

and which are the proposals first of all we need to work together and work out a common system and the structural agreements, we need to strike agreements with the north african countries to try and stop the inflow of the boats and the level of illegal immigrants by boats and to prevent and avoid death at sea. we need to find they might fight smugglers and we need to do that also threw a standardisation or uniform isolation of the countries that we have also as you probably know organised a conference on the development and issues of migration which involved also the countries from the extended mediterranean to try and find a solution, and we need to, as we said, fight illegal immigration and illegal smugglers. we need to work out also and

mission, unable mission to fight smugglers and enable systems to return illegal migrants to countries of origin is a need to be done at european level are not simply at country level. another thing we will discuss on next week is certainly the involvement of the united nations in this process. speaks italian.

translation: and an important sign of the strategy which is also shared by the european union, it is shared by the european union, it is shared by the european council as proven by their conclusions joined by the european council meeting is the memorandum — european council meeting is the memorandum we _ european council meeting is the memorandum we have - european council meeting is the memorandum we have signed i european council meeting : it�*ie: memorandum we have signed which is extremely important and i would like to thank president ursula von der leyen father's but we need no to be able to be fast and efficient in implementing this memorandum and discuss it with the other countries in the north african part and we

need to show europe is offering a contribution but in return is asking for taking on responsibility. speaks italian. translation: these teams will be brought to the european council meeting brought to the european council meetin: . brought to the european council meetina . , brought to the european council meetinua . , meeting which will be held in october and _ meeting which will be held in october and i _ meeting which will be held in october and i am _ meeting which will be held in october and i am confident i meeting which will be held in i october and i am confident this meeting which will be held in - october and i am confident this will be a positive outcome because i have discussed this with the other european leaders, the european leaders of the other european

countries so i am quite positive that will follow on from what i have just described and it will be done work on a shared basis. speaks italian. translation: i would like to translation: i would like to translation: i would like to inform translation: i would like to inform inform you translation: i would like to inform you that tomorrow at the council of ministers meeting i will submit a

mandate to the ministry of defence for all of the necessary procedure to establish the required structure to establish the required structure to perform this. speaks italian.

translation: i would like to close by thanking also by thanking the missionerfor by thanking also by thanking the missioner for eternal affairs who has accompanied president —— internal affairs who has accompanied president von der leyen and i would like to thank the regional president and thank the deputy mayor of lampedusa an first and more for most would like to thank the population of lampedusa who we met this morning and deal with difficult decisions and deal with difficult decisions and have shown a huge level of responsibility and they are very beautiful people and i'm very

pleased we have the opportunity to meet with them and talk with them and we committed ourselves to try to provide them with better conditions for the silent and have already done it through 45 million euros which have been made available and will be helpful to manage at central level situations situations which are more local administration might have difficulties in dealing with and tackling. difficulties in dealing with and tacklinu. ., ~ , ., , difficulties in dealing with and tacklinu. ., ~' , . difficulties in dealing with and tacklinu. ., ~ , . ., tackling. thank you very much for invitin: tackling. thank you very much for inviting me _ tackling. thank you very much for inviting me and _ tackling. thank you very much for inviting me and the _ tackling. thank you very much for| inviting me and the commissioner tackling. thank you very much for i inviting me and the commissioner to lampedusa — inviting me and the commissioner to lampedusa and thank you to the regional— lampedusa and thank you to the regional president and mayor for the invitation_ regional president and mayor for the invitation to lampedusa. it is very important — invitation to lampedusa. it is very important for me to be here with you _

speaks italian. it is very important for me _ speaks italian. it is very important for me because regular migration is a european — for me because regular migration is a european challenge and needs a european — a european challenge and needs a european answer so we are in this togethen — speaks italian. indeed we have met with incredible _ speaks italian. indeed we have met with incredible citizens _ speaks italian. indeed we have met with incredible citizens of _ with incredible citizens of lampedusa and spoken to the staff at the hotspot and of course to the amazing — the hotspot and of course to the amazing italian and european civil protection — amazing italian and european civil protection and law enforcement personnel. in these days the local community has continued to do its utmost— community has continued to do its utmost to — community has continued to do its utmost to support the men and women and children_ utmost to support the men and women and children who have made it to this istand~ — speaks italian.

this incredible solidarity is heart—warming and it is very important _ heart—warming and it is very important to remember all that are involved. _ important to remember all that are involved, be it the people of lampedusa, the local authorities are the migrants are caught up in this situation — the migrants are caught up in this situation which is not of their making~ _ situation which is not of their making. increasing numbers of migrants — making. increasing numbers of migrants are leaving their country of origin, — migrants are leaving their country of origin, they are being lowered by reckless _ of origin, they are being lowered by reckless smugglers and traffickers, and many— reckless smugglers and traffickers, and many arrive here in lampedusa

simply— and many arrive here in lampedusa simply because of its location. speaks italian. and this puts lampedusa under pressure. — and this puts lampedusa under pressure, creating a very difficult situation — pressure, creating a very difficult situation for his people. the prime minister— situation for his people. the prime minister and situation for his people. the prime ministerand i are here situation for his people. the prime minister and i are here today to offer— minister and i are here today to offer a — minister and i are here today to offer a coordinated response by the itaiian _ offer a coordinated response by the itaiian and — offer a coordinated response by the italian and european authorities and italian and european authorities and i want _ italian and european authorities and i want to— italian and european authorities and i want to be very clear, we have an obligation— i want to be very clear, we have an obligation as — i want to be very clear, we have an obligation as part of the international community, we have

fulfilled _ international community, we have fulfilled it— international community, we have fulfilled it in the past and we will do so _ fulfilled it in the past and we will do so today and in the future. but we will_ do so today and in the future. but we will decide who comes to the european — we will decide who comes to the european union and under what circumstances, and not the smugglers and traffickers. speaks italian. i would like to present you a ten point _ i would like to present you a ten point action plan. first, i offered support— point action plan. first, i offered support to — point action plan. first, i offered support to italy by the european

commission and european union asylum agency— commission and european union asylum agency to— commission and european union asylum agency to deal with this immediate crisis _ agency to deal with this immediate crisis the — agency to deal with this immediate crisis. the agency can help manage the high _ crisis. the agency can help manage the high number of migrants and also help with _ the high number of migrants and also help with registration of rivals, fingerprinting, etc. —— rivals. —— arrivals — speaks italian. second, we will increase our support to transfer— second, we will increase our support to transfer migrants out of lampedusa and we urge other member states— lampedusa and we urge other member states to _ lampedusa and we urge other member states to use the voluntary solidarity mechanism and transfer

migrants — solidarity mechanism and transfer migrants out of italy. speaks italian. my third point support to ensure the swift return — my third point support to ensure the swift return of migrants to their country — swift return of migrants to their country of — swift return of migrants to their country of origin if not eligible for asylum. those who cannot qualify for asylum. those who cannot qualify for asylum _ for asylum. those who cannot qualify for asylum cannot stay in the european _ for asylum cannot stay in the european union. we will reach out to the countries of origin to facilitate this process and i will send _ facilitate this process and i will send the — facilitate this process and i will send the vice president to negotiate and speak— send the vice president to negotiate and speak to the countries of origin — speaks italian.

my first point, we must step up our efforts— my first point, we must step up our efforts to _ my first point, we must step up our efforts to fight the smugglers. we have to _ efforts to fight the smugglers. we have tojoin forces efforts to fight the smugglers. we have to join forces with the countries _ have to join forces with the countries of origin and countries of transit— countries of origin and countries of transit to _ countries of origin and countries of transit to crack down on this brutal business. — transit to crack down on this brutal business, we need are joined up approach — business, we need are joined up approach such as engaging with tunisia — approach such as engaging with tunisia and along the route and our legistation— tunisia and along the route and our legislation on anti—smuggling needs an update _ legislation on anti—smuggling needs an update from the legal side. speaks italian.

the first point, we will step up c and aerial— the first point, we will step up c and aerial surveillance and can do this through frontex and furthermore i this through frontex and furthermore i support— this through frontex and furthermore i support options to expand existing naval— i support options to expand existing naval missions in the mediterranean or work— naval missions in the mediterranean or work and — naval missions in the mediterranean or work and we will speed up the supply— or work and we will speed up the supply of— or work and we will speed up the supply of equipment to the tunisian coastguard.

speaks italian. my six point, we will take actions against _ my six point, we will take actions against the logistics of the smugglers. we will also work with the italian authorities to ensure the removal and destruction of boats and dinghies. speaks italian.

my seventh point, the european asylum — my seventh point, the european asylum agency is ready to step up its support— asylum agency is ready to step up its support to italy to apply swift asylum — its support to italy to apply swift asylum procedures. it is important to quickly— asylum procedures. it is important to quickly reject applications that are unfounded. those were not qualified — are unfounded. those were not qualified for asylum have to return. speaks italian. and connected to that is my eighth point~ _ and connected to that is my eighth point the — and connected to that is my eighth point. the most effective measure to

counter— point. the most effective measure to counter the _ point. the most effective measure to counter the smugglers lies, our legal— counter the smugglers lies, our legal pathways and humanitarian corridors — legal pathways and humanitarian corridors. we will offer migrants real alternatives through this humanitarian admission, this is very important _ humanitarian admission, this is very important to — humanitarian admission, this is very important to break the vicious narrative _ important to break the vicious narrative of the smugglers. speaks italian. because one thing is for sure, the better— because one thing is for sure, the better we — because one thing is for sure, the better we are with legal migration, the structure we can be with

irreguiar— the structure we can be with irregular migration. this brings me to the _ irregular migration. this brings me to the ninth— irregular migration. this brings me to the ninth point. we will step up the cooperation with unchr and iom two assist _ the cooperation with unchr and iom two assist voluntary returns. speaks italian. in the final point is that we will work— in the final point is that we will work with— in the final point is that we will work with tunisia on implementation

of the _ work with tunisia on implementation of the mou and will assist the contracting of new projects and the dispersai— contracting of new projects and the dispersal of funds to tunisia. speaks italian. therefore i want to conclude by saying — therefore i want to conclude by saying i— therefore i want to conclude by saying i came here to say to all of you migration is a european challenge and needs a european answer— challenge and needs a european answer and solution. it is concrete actions _ answer and solution. it is concrete actions that — answer and solution. it is concrete actions that will bring change on the ground. it is only through solidarity— the ground. it is only through solidarity and unity that we can achieve — solidarity and unity that we can achieve this and you can count on the european union. speaks italian.

thank you very much. speaks italian. we have time for three questions because we have to fly back. we are

aware the president of the european union has delayed herflight to be here this morning. speaks italian. you're watching bbc news, let's return to the press conference where the discussions of migrants in lampedusa is happening. speaks italian

first of all, question to you president. you have visited the hot spots today, you have seen which dramatic situations that ireland is in despite the fact the efforts have been made to cleaning and sort out the situation. the question is, what was not clear before, because we keep on hearing promises about things which need to be done, but then these things are not being

done. what is not clear?