EURACTIV: ‘Big Three’ leaders insist EU not finished after Brexit

August 23, 2016 The leaders of Italy, France and Germany insisted Monday (22 August) that Britain’s shock decision to quit the European Union would not kill the bloc. Merkel suggested she could be flexible over EU budget rules, as Rome grapples to kickstart its stalling economy. Speaking aboard an aircraft carrier anchored off the Italian island of Ventotene, one of the cradles of the dream of a united and integrated Europe, the leaders vowed to strengthen the European project following the Brexit vote. “Many thought the EU was finished after Brexit but that is not how it is,” Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi said. To read the full article, please click here.