Rome (dpa) - Italy's Foreign Minister Enzo Moavero Milanesi has proposals for a new European Union approach on migration which he wants to discuss at a Monday meeting with EU counterparts.

"We cannot continue to proceed on a case-by-case basis, looking each time for emergency solutions. We need a structured, stable mechanism," Milanesi told Sunday's Corriere della Sera newspaper.

Over the past few weeks, Italy's and Malta's reluctance to continue taking in Mediterranean migrant rescue boats has reopened the thorny issue of burden sharing among all EU member states.

"Migrants are not looking for Italian, Greek or Maltese shores. They are looking for Europe. Therefore we must find a solution within a European framework," Moavero said.

He said he is in favour of resuming EU naval missions in the Mediterranean - as called for by the UN - on condition that, unlike in the past, those rescued would not all go to Italy.

People from war zones should be able to file for asylum outside of the EU, "in a European office in the country at peace that is closest" to them, Moavero suggested.

The EU should fly in those deemed eligible for asylum, sparing them from migrant traffickers and dangerous sea journeys, the Italian minister added.

Incoming refugees should be distributed within the EU according to "objective and clear criteria," but "the system works only if a sufficient and significant number of EU countries joins," he said.

Moavero also proposed more EU aid to migrants' countries of origin, possibly financed by EU bonds, and stronger cooperation between EU police forces against migrant traffickers.