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Mr Tajani said it is important to defend the rights of European citizens and be serious with Westminster because being a member of the EU cannot be the same as not being a member.

The president said it would be important to work with London in the next stage of the Brexit process.

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He said: The UK will always be a European country, however, not an EU country.

Mr Tajani said in the interview that austerity policies should go besides growth.

He said: I dont believe in austerity policies alone. I think its an error to focus solely on austerity but I do believe that reducing public debt is important.

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We cannot beat the crisis without reducing public debt and undertaking reform, but we also cannot win if policies dont favour growth, industry, SMEs, professional workers, agriculture, trade and also tourism.

Mr Tajani has also urged Spain to take more of a leading role in the European Union policy making in the year that the UK leaves the bloc.

The Italian was elected the 29th president of the European Parliament in January after a new partnership between his centre-right group and the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe.

Mr Tajani said he will discuss Greece in Strasbourg, but he thinks the country should be defended as it is a member of the EU.

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'UK will ALWAYS be a European country' - insists new EU Parliament president Tajani - Express.co.uk