News

November 13, 2002 The 4th session of the Italian-Lithuanian Joint Committee established by the Agreement between the Governments of Italy and Lithuania on Economic, Industrial and Technical Co-operation, signed on 11 March 1994, was held in Vilnius today. The delegations were headed by the Italian Undersecretary for Foreign Affairs, Mr. Roberto Antonione, and the Lithuanian State Secretary for Foreign Affairs, Mr. Evaldas Ignatavičius. Both parties presented the current economic situation, investment opportunities in the respective countries and the development of bilateral economic relations between Lithuania and Italy. Major economic issues were discussed in the perspective of the EU enlargement. The Committee reviewed the implementation of the Agreement on Economic Co-operation and recommended a number of measures for the further development in such areas as bilateral trade, transport, labor market and technical co-operation. New initiatives in environmental, banking, health care and fiscal sectors were presented during this session. Other subjects discussed in the meeting were promotion of co-operation between business associations, activities of governmental agencies for economic internationalisation in the two countries - with a special focus on creation of new opportunities for Small and Medium Enterprises – and addressed the issue on pending commercial disputes between Lithuanian and Italian companies. On the occasion of the aforesaid meeting, Mr. Antonione also had high-level political talks with the Lithuanian President of the Republic, Valdas Adamkus, and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Antanas Valionis. The parties agreed to hold the 5th meeting of the Joint Committee next year in Rome.