Austria and Italy want to reach clear decisions on reforming the European Union’s asylum system at next week’s EU summit, according to Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehhammer and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Maloni. Agerpres.

The two leaders are “close allies in the fight against illegal migration,” they said at a conference in Austria, DPA reports.

The joint call by Nehhammer, a conservative, and Maloney, a far-right leader, comes as the EU considers how to deal with a growing number of asylum seekers and illegal migrants. Both leaders supported the tougher position of the bloc of communities.

The question of how to manage migration and asylum applications in particular is highly controversial in the EU.

The European Council, which includes the leaders of 27 EU member states, will meet in Brussels on June 29 and 30.

“The asylum system in Europe has collapsed,” Nehammer said. “The EU must move from talk to action, effectively implement asylum procedures at its external borders and, above all, go further and conclude credible agreements on asylum procedures in third countries outside the EU.”

Maloney said she and Nehammer are working together to bring about a “paradigm shift” in the EU.

She said she wants to see concrete solutions at the summit.