EU INSTRUMENTS CAN BOOST LITHUANIA’S ECONOMIC COMPETITIVENESS, COUNTRY’S FOREIGN MINISTER SAYS
The basis for strengthening Lithuania’s economic competitiveness is an effective functioning within the European Union and the ability to benefit from the instruments that are offered by the EU, Lithuania’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Audronius Ažubalis said during a conference “Directions for Increasing Lithuania’s Influence and Competitiveness within the European Union: the Institutional and Political Capacity”. The conference was held on 7 April in Vilnius.
“Those who doubt might be persuaded by some figures: Lithuania exports to the European Union two-thirds of its produce, and the money from the EU funds constitute 37 percent of this year’s state budget revenue. These figures clearly show that our business is serious about Europe, and during the recession the necessary resources for business promotion and investments into the areas that will grow tomorrow come from the EU,” the Minister said.
He also identified areas that restricted the potential for Lithuania’s competitiveness promotion and that needed the greatest breakthrough. Minister A.Ažubalis highlighted the fragmentation of the internal market, particularly in the areas of energy and transport, the remaining obstacles for the international trade with third countries, Lithuania’s insufficient scientific potential, which limits the possibilities of the country to offer innovative products and services on an international scale, as well as the protracted process of Lithuania’s integration into the Economic and Monetary Union.
“We need to find an answer to the question about the ways in which the European Union could help us overcome these obstacles. One of such ways is the implementation of the new EU 2020 Strategy that is currently being prepared and that will replace the Lisbon strategy. We have to use it as a tool for encouraging a more rapid recovery of our economy and as an impetus for the main structural reforms,” the head of Lithuania’s diplomacy emphasized.
The conference was organized by the public institution “European Social, Legal and Economic Projects” and the Office of the Prime Minister.
Social media
