Brussels, 17/03/2011 (Agence Europe) - Speaking on Wednesday 16 March before the House, Interior Minister of Italy Roberto Maroni had expressed disappointment at the European Union's response to the wave of migrants from North Africa, ANSA reports. Maroni held a telephone conversation on Thursday 17 March with Home Affairs Commissioner Cecilia Malmström. A planned trip to Brussels by Maroni has finally been cancelled. Maroni had said that they had called upon the European Union to intervene but so far there has been no satisfactory response. On Thursday, the two officials agreed it was necessary to “prepare for all possible scenarios”, Malmström states in a press release. She said she was “glad that Italy is already preparing to take care of migrants who might be in need of help”. According to the same press release, both officials felt it necessary to have a “common European response” to the consequences of the situation on the southern rim of the Mediterranean, a response that should be “based on the principle of EU solidarity with North Africa as well as between EU member states”. She again gave her assurance that the EU was standing ready to step up its aid to countries such as Italy, mainly through the Frontex agency, which is already present in Lampedusa, and through EU emergency funding. (S.P./transl.jl)