News

On 24 February in Vilnius, Lithuanian Minister of Foreign Affairs Antanas Valionis and Wim Kok the Head of the High-Level Group of Independent Experts, which prepared the report on the Lisbon strategy progress in the end of 2004, discussed the review of the implementation of the Lisbon strategy. The Minister underlined that Lithuania welcomes the new accents of the Lisbon strategy – promotion of measures aimed at economic growth and employment. In the Lisbon strategy context Lithuania considers important such priorities as knowledge-based economy, the creation of EU internal market, the improvement of business environment and employment stimulation. During Valionis and Kok meeting the attention was also drawn to the fact that the Lisbon strategy should provide preconditions and instruments for using scientific and other potential of all EU Members including the less economically developed ones. The Minister emphasized that the strategy should be pursued with regard to differing economic and social situation in each state. W. Kok stated that implementation of the Lisbon strategy objectives depends on the Member States efforts to carry out economic reforms. According to W. Kok, Lisbon strategy is closely related with successful achievement of internal economic objectives. In the meeting it was also acknowledged that currently Lithuania has established a proper Lisbon strategy coordination system, where the Ministry of Economy performs the coordination function and closely cooperates with other institutions.