News

On 17 March, Lithuanian Minister of Foreign Affairs Antanas Valionis met with President of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) Roger Briesch and members of his delegation. At the meeting, the role of the EESC in the system of the European Union (EU) institutions and the process of the integration was discussed as well as participation of Lithuania’s representatives in the Committee’s work as of 1 May 2004. The officials also spoke of directions of the EESC activities in the context of EU enlargement and priorities of Lithuania’s participation in the Committee’s work. During the meeting, opinions on Lithuania’s readiness for membership in the EU, development of the social dialogue in Lithuania, involvement of social and economic partners as well as a wider part of the civil society into taking political decisions was exchanged. Antanas Valionis thanked Roger Briesch for close cooperation of the European Economic and Social Committee with Lithuanian organisations of employees, employers and other civil groups and their involvement into dealing with social and economic issues topical to the enlarged Europe. The Minister underlined that Lithuania devoted major attention towards strengthening cooperation with social partners while adopting important decisions of the economic and social policy. In Minister Valionis’ opinion, constant close contact with community organisations and considering their opinion is one of the major preconditions of taking qualified and reasonable decisions in the sphere of economic and social affairs on the European and national levels. The Minister expressed hope that the voice of Lithuanian representatives in the Committee’s activities would be clearly heard while standing for priorities of the country’s economic and social policy.