(CANNES) - EU Justice Commissioner Jacques Barrot demanded an explanation from Italy Monday about its controversial scheme to fingerprint gypsies in the country.

In talks described by Barrot's aids as "full and frank", Italian Interior Minister Roberto Maroni promised to send him a report before the end of the month explaining the government's actions and what it plans to do next.

Maroni, a member of the right-wing Northern League party in Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi's centre-right coalition, had said recently that children would be fingerprinted "to prevent phenomena such as begging."

He has said the operation would be carried out with police and with the cooperation of the Red Cross.

"The report on what actually happened must arrive in July," Barrot told reporters in the French Riveria resort of Cannes, on the sidelines of informal talks between EU interior ministers.

"It's important for me that there is an extremely precise and clear investigation," he said. "My job is to ensure that fundamental rights are respected in Europe. I will do that with a clear conscience and objectively."

Barrot said Maroni had assured him that the head of the United Nation's childrens agency UNICEF had accepted Rome's plans, which the minister said were necessary to get Roma children into schools or pay them social welfare.

"There are obviously risks with such a policy and we have to be very vigilent," Barrot said.

"There can be identification measures that are necessary," he said. "But there are dangers in such steps and we are there to evaluate them and, if necessary, to contain them."

Maroni's plans have angered rights and religious groups, who have expressed concern that troubling ethnic and religious details are being gathered from the gypsies, usually from their camps around major cities.

The large number of Roma in Italy became an election issue in Berlusconi's ultimately successful campaign to return to the Italian prime ministership earlier this year.

Text and Picture Copyright 2008 AFP. All other Copyright 2008 EUbusiness Ltd. All rights reserved. This material is intended solely for personal use. Any other reproduction, publication or redistribution of this material without the written agreement of the copyright owner is strictly forbidden and any breach of copyright will be considered actionable.