News

Thursday, February 7, Vilnius - President Dalia Grybauskaitė will attend a special meeting of the European Council. In Brussels, the heads of state or government of 27 EU member states will negotiate how to allocate the EU's seven-year budget for the period 2014 - 2020 and will discuss foreign and trade policy issues.

Failing to reach agreement on the multiannual financial framework last November, negotiations were suspended mandating President of the European Council Herman Van Rompuy and President of the European Commission José Manuel Barroso to prepare a new proposal on the EU's multiannual financial framework.

According to the President, a fairer allocation of the EU support is the underling objective of Lithuania. Our country also seeks to achieve that the support in 2014 - 2020 is not less than in the current period 2007-2013.

In these negotiations three positions in terms of financing are core to Lithuania - structural funds, agriculture and decommissioning of the Ignalina nuclear power plant. The most important task, the President notes, is to strive that the overall level of support is in the best interest of our country.

The European Council meeting will also address the issues of EU's trade policy with third countries. EU leaders plan to discuss the progress in negotiations on free trade agreements with Moldova, Georgia and Armenia, as well as possibilities to sign a free trade agreement as part of an Association Agreement with Ukraine. Final decisions regarding these agreements can be taken during Lithuania's Presidency of the EU Council.

The agenda of the meeting also includes foreign policy issues. The EU leaders will hold discussions on the situation in Syria and Mali, and will assess developments two years after the start of the "Arab Spring".

Before the European Council, the President will discuss common regional interests with the heads of state or government of the Nordic and Baltic countries (NB6).

Press Service of the President