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At the EU’s General Affairs Council meeting on September 24 in Brussels, Lithuanian Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs Vytautas Leškevičius said that aiming to reach an agreement on the EU’s multiannual financial framework 2014–2020 by the end of the year, the Presidency of Cyprus had to take into account all the proposals of the member states.

“Ahead of the European Council we have to achieve a convergence of different positions. We are confident that the Presidency will be able to address our concerns and find acceptable basis for the final compromise,” Leškevičius said at the General Affairs Council meeting.

The Vice-Minister stressed that the recent proposals on the multiannual financial framework submitted by Cyprus following the discussions could aggravate this task, because the revised Negotiating box had a clear intention for the budget cuts.

According to Leškevičius, it is not acceptable that cuts are made for the less developed member states.

“Intentions to reduce the capping rate go in contradiction with the objectives of the Cohesion Policy and Europe 2020 strategy, also recognized by the June 2012 European Council conclusions,” the Vice-Minister said.

Leškevičius reiterated the call for faster convergence of direct payments for farmers, referring to the joint proposal by the Baltic States, which foresees that no member state would receive direct payments below certain level of the EU average.

He also called for adequate funding of the EU’s energy and transport links.

The Lithuanian Vice-Minister said that the newest proposal regarding the financing of the closure of the Ignalina nuclear power plant was contrary to the provisions of Lithuania’s Treaty of Accession to the EU, which stipulates no final financing term.

On the basis of the decisions that were taken during the discussion, the Presidency of Cyprus will revise the Negotiating box on the EU’s multiannual financial framework 2014–2020. The EU’s Heads of State or Government will continue to negotiate  the multiannual budget at the forthcoming European Council on 22-23 November.