
Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni met with Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babiš in Prague to discuss common proposals to the EU Council on energy and migration, with a focus on the revision of the ETS system to combat high energy prices and strengthen bilateral cooperation, including the potential partnership on new generation nuclear power.
AI-generated summary
Italy and the Czech Republic are deepening bilateral cooperation on energy, industrial and defense issues, with particular attention to the revision of the European ETS system to reduce the cost of energy and support the competitiveness of businesses.
A "broad and in-depth" comparison, which went from the review of the "unbalanced" ETS system to the dossiers on energy and migration. These are the themes at the center of the visit of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni to the Czech Republic, where - at the invitation of Prime Minister Andrej Babiš - she is accompanied by the Minister of Economy, Giancarlo Giorgetti. The Italian delegation was welcomed in Prague by Babiš, with whom Meloni had a face-to-face meeting around 7 pm. Then the statements to the press. “In recent years, Italy and the Czech Republic have been closer than ever,” said the Prime Minister, underlining the “complementarity of our production systems” and the “convergence of views on European dossiers”, also thanks to the “personal harmony with Babis”, whose “courage, clarity and pragmatism”. Afterwards, a working dinner hosted by the Czech Prime Minister in honor of the Italian Prime Minister.
The common proposals to the EU Council to change the ETS
Among the objectives of the visit is to work on some "operational proposals" to be presented to the European Council in October to "counter the high energy prices" and "correct the ETS mechanism", the European carbon taxation system which today, Italian sources underline, "artificially inflates prices and creates imbalances" between the States, damaging "the competitiveness of European businesses and industries". The package of measures that the two leaders will explore includes six lines of intervention, including the regulation on methane and the postponement of Ets2.
Rome-Prague axis: against high energy prices, review the ETS
With the attack on the ETS the aim is to convince Brussels to further review the system and reduce the pressure on the industry. And, consequently, prices for citizens. Meloni tightens the axis with Babis to convince all partners, at the next European Council in October, to correct the CO2 market.
Meloni: "Ready to become Prague's partner on nuclear power"
Melon highlighted how both Rome and Prague are committed "to diversifying energy supply sources", which paves the way for the opportunity to "become technological and industrial partners starting from new generation nuclear power". The Czech Republic - he underlines - "invests in the development of small modular reactors", an area in which "Italy has just started again".
See also
Ets, free certificates and decarbonisation: what the reform provides
The 2026-2030 Action Plan
Also at the center of the mission is the adoption of the Italy-Czech Republic Action Plan 2026-2030, which defines the framework of collaboration for the coming years and identifies some of the main areas in which the two nations intend to further deepen the partnership: from political and economic cooperation to defense and security, from infrastructure to research and innovation, up to the issues of migration and competitiveness. This will be accompanied by the launch of the Italy-Czech Republic Year of Culture 2027-2028, with a program of initiatives aimed at enhancing the profound cultural ties and relationships between the two peoples. Particular attention will be paid to economic and industrial cooperation, in light of the important complementarities between the two production systems and the presence of numerous Italian companies in the Czech Republic.
See also
High prices, cut consumption and lights out: the EU recommendations
AI outlook — possibilities, not facts
The joint Italy-Czech Republic proposal to modify the ETS will be presented at the European Council in October.
Likely · Within months
Italy and the Czech Republic will launch a technological and industrial partnership on new generation nuclear power.
Possible · Within months

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Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni met Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babiš in Prague to discuss the reform of the ETS system, high energy costs, nuclear cooperation and the adoption of the Italy-Czech Republic Action Plan 2026-2030, underlining the need to convince EU partners to correct the CO2 market with a view to the European Council in October.

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