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On 25 January, Lithuania’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Vygaudas Ušackas took part in the meeting of the EU Trade Ministers in Brussels, during which goals of the EU trade policy under conditions of global economic recession were discussed.

During the meeting, Minister V.Ušackas indicated that maintaining free trade and avoiding protectionist means are important factors for reviving the EU and world economy.

“If the EU and other countries of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) are to take protectionist measures in the areas of international trade and public procurement, if the policy of raising tariffs and subsidies are to spread  -  all will be hurt, both producers and consumers,”  said V.Ušackas.

According to the data of the International Food Policy Research Institute, if the EU and other WTO countries were to take protectionist means that do not breach commitments to the WTO, the global trade would go down by 8 percent.

In the Minister’s words, until the global financial crisis, the condition for welfare of the Lithuanian people was openness to the world, therefore, now Lithuania also speaks up for free trade.

“During the EU’s and global economy recession, we all need more and not less free trade,” said Minister V.Ušackas.

On the subject of negotiations with the third countries, Lithuania’s head of diplomacy encouraged the EU to advocate for the open economy and free trade and also to firmly and effectively defend interests of the Lithuanian and other EU exporters, including such cases, when other countries take discriminatory measures.

Minister V.Ušackas also spoke for special EU programmes, which would contribute to the increase of competition level of small and medium enterprises in the global market, for the provision of financial resources that are in the plans for reviving the economy in the third countries, and, in case of necessity – the EU market protection measures.

Lithuania’s Minister of Foreign Affairs V.Ušackas urged the European Commission, that during the negotiations on trade agreements it seeks for the elimination in the third countries of the governmental interventions into the economy, violations of intellectual property rights and non-tariff barriers.

Speech of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania Vygaudas Ušackas at the EU Foreign Trade Ministers’