BUDGET REDUCTION AT THE EXPENSE OF KEY COMMON EU POLICIES IS NOT THE RIGHT APPROACH, LITHUANIA’S FOREIGN MINISTER SAYS
On 19 November in Brussels, during the meeting with President of the European Council Herman van Rompuy, Lithuania’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Audronius Ažubalis stressed that more funds should be provided to the less developed regions in the future EU’S multiannual budget.
“Lithuania has showcased how efficiently and responsibly the Cohesion funds could be used during the period of crisis. If we speak about the most efficient spending, there is a rising demand in following resources to promote growth and job creation. In this respect, the proposal to cut drastically the highest value spending, which is Cohesion, is not the right approach”, A.Ažubalis said.
With the objective of the upcoming special meeting of the European Council to reach an agreement on the Multiannual Financial Framework, Ministers for European Affairs met on 20 November and exchanged views with the President of the European Council.
The Lithuanian Minister said that he prefigures the political will to reach an agreement this week, nevertheless, the additional conditionalities regarding the multiannual budget agreement put some additional obstacles.
“We cannot accept the proposal to establish a new deadline for the EU funding of the decommissioning of the Ignalina nuclear power plant. An adequate EU support is guaranteed by the EU Treaty. It is unacceptable to set a new date, such as 2017, as, we believe, it contradicts the primary EU law. I would like to underline that intensity of funding directly affects the intensity of decommissioning process”, A.Ažubalis emphasised.
A.Ažubalis also stressed that further reduction of funds for EU's common agricultural policy in the multiannual budget would not contribute to the achievement of the target of equalisation of direct payments. The situation would only deteriorate because of the proposal to extend the transitional period during which these payments would be equalized.
“We recall the Joint proposal of Baltic States to set minimum level of direct payments per hectare. This is rational and equitable in terms of competitive conditions and fairness”, A.Ažubalis said.
The General Affairs Council also discussed the European Commission legislative and work programme for 2013. A.Ažubalis emphasized that Lithuania supports the program as it includes guidelines for the forthcoming Lithuanian Presidency of the Council of the European Union in the second half of 2013 and reflects such important areas as economic growth, job creation, and promotion of the competitiveness, internal energy market creation, financial stability and trade policy. Lithuania will pay particular attention to these fields.
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