Europe’s new treaty – obligation to deal with finances in responsible manner The leaders of the EU member states, currently attending an informal meeting of members of the European Council in the capital of Belgium, approved the Fiscal Compact Treaty designed to obligate the eurozone members to observe stringent fiscal discipline and pursue a responsible economic policy. All of the EU member states, except United Kingdom and Czech Republic, agreed to join the treaty. More...

Multiannual EU budget must comply with EU goals and the principle of solidarity On 27 January at the EU General Affairs Council meeting in Brussels, Lithuanian Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs Egidijus Meilūnas supported the proposal of the European Commission regarding the size of the new EU budget, but stressed that also the importance of a fairer allocation of EU funds for cohesion and agriculture to EU member states. More...

Lithuanian foreign minister calls on the European Union to become more open to Belarusians When tightening sanctions against Minsk, the EU has to be more open to ordinary Belarusians, said Lithuanian Minister of Foreign Affairs Audronius Ažubalis at the EU Foreign Ministers meeting in Brussels on 23 January. More...

Energy is a priority of the Baltic-Nordic cooperation, Lithuanian foreign minister says On 23 January at an informal meeting with ministers of the Baltic and Nordic countries that belong to the European Union in Brussels, Lithuanian Minister of Foreign Affairs Audronius Ažubalis stressed the importance of regional energy security. More...

Lithuania to deliver as the EU Council president if its society is united, says Lithuanian foreign minister Lithuania will only be able to deliver as the president of the EU Council if its public is united and engaged in the face of this test of the state capacity, Lithuanian foreign minister Audronius Ažubalis said alongside the winner of the public competition to create the logo for the EU presidency in 2013. More...

Lithuania wants EU’s 2014-2020 budget to narrow the gap between member states On 15 November at the European Union’s General Affairs Council meeting in Brussels, Lithuanian Minister of Foreign Affairs Audronius Ažubalis said that the EU had to further the cohesion policy’s principle, i.e., to reduce economic, social and territorial disparities between the EU member states and to give high priority to the concerns of the least developed regions. More...

European Union has to apply uniform standards for the evaluation of the progress achieved by all neighbours, says Lithuanian foreign minister On 14 November at the European Union’s Foreign Affairs Council meeting in Brussels, Lithuanian Minister of Foreign Affairs Audronius Ažubalis stressed that the EU’s support – closer political cooperation, economic integration and financial support - was especially necessary to the countries that had embarked on the path of democracy. More...

In Budapest, Lithuania's foreign vise-minister calls for not reducing EU support to less-developed member states On 10 November at the meeting of the EU’s member states belonging to the Group of Friends of the EU Cohesion Policy in Budapest, Lithuanian Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs Egidijus Meilūnas voiced Lithuania’s position on the essential elements of the cohesion policy and during bilateral meetings presented the important for Lithuania issue of financing the closure of the Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant. More...

Lithuania has made an important step in the implementation of the EU Third Package The Government approved the implementation plan on separation of operation and control of natural gas companies non-compliant with the Law on Natural Gas whereby AB Lietuvos Dujos must complete the separation of its operational activities (transportation, distribution and supply) by 31 October 2014. More...

Stabilization of the EU economy will be possible only if financial populism is refused The heads of state or government of the European Union countries, gathered in the capital of Belgium, discussed the EU economy revival and finance stabilization measures and debated how to solve the issues relevant for the euro zone. More...