News

On 27 April, Lithuania’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Vygaudas Ušackas attended the European Union’s General Affairs and External Relations Council (GAERC) in Luxembourg.

EU foreign ministers discussed preparations for the Employment Summit, i.e. the meeting of heads of a social Troika (Presidencies of three states in turn) on 7 May in Prague, the Southern Corridor summit (the EU cooperation in the areas of energy and transport with the Caspian Sea region and the Middle East countries) on 8 May and the issue of Croatia’s EU accession negotiations.

During the Employment Summit, it is intended to agree on common guidelines and principles, in compliance with which the unemployment problems caused by the financial crisis would be tackled, and to submit concrete suggestions to cushion the negative impact of the crisis on employment. During the meeting, it is intended to discuss the new tools for keeping people in their jobs and to facilitate switching of employees from one job to another.

Minister V.Ušackas stressed that during the crisis it was very important to take measures for the renewal of economy. Therefore, investments into the skills of the labour force and opening of new work places for qualified specialists were required.

“We must review our vocational training systems, making them simpler and more accessible. We must increase the responsibility of vocational training schools for the quality of education,” said Minister V.Ušackas.

At the GAERC meeting, Minister V.Ušackas welcomed the efforts of the Czech EU Presidency and the European Commission in shaping the concept of the Southern Corridor and initiative to hold the Southern Corridor summit on 8 May in Prague.

“The declaration, which is intended to be approved at the Southern Corridor summit in Prague, is rather ambitious and should stimulate closer EU cooperation with the countries of the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea in the areas of energy and transport,” said Minister V.Ušackas.

The Southern Corridor concept encompasses the dimensions of energy and transport, and in the future the scope of the cooperation is intended to extend to social, economic and political spheres.

Minister V.Ušackas emphasized that while creating a common transport dimension of the Southern Corridor, it was particularly important to build the link of the Trans-European transport networks to Southern Europe, and in the sphere of energy – to construct energy links among the Southern countries and the EU member states.  

On the issue of Croatia’s EU accession negotiations, Minister V.Ušackas confirmed Lithuania’s support to Croatia’s EU membership and emphasized that disagreements regarding the border between Croatia and Slovenia should not influence the negotiations. 

“I believe that after Croatia implements all the necessary reforms, it will be possible to achieve the final stage of negotiations already by the end of this year,” said V.Ušackas.