Press Releases

President goes to the European Council meeting in Brussels

Tuesday, December 8, Vilnius - President of the Republic of Lithuania Dalia Grybauskaitė goes to Brussels to attend the European Council meeting and chair the Nordic-Baltic (NB6) meeting on December 10-11.

The European Council is set to discuss EU institutional issues, the economic, financial and employment situation in Europe, the EU strategy for 2020, preparedness for the Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen, and the Stockholm Programme.

"It is very important that the European Union reaches a consensus regarding commitments to be undertaken by the EU Member States in the Copenhagen Climate Change Conference," President Dalia Grybauskaitė underlined.

The aim of the Conference on Climate Change convened by the United Nations in Copenhagen is to reach political consensus to make sure that all countries of the world assume responsibility and a relevant burden in addressing climate change.

The European Council is also expected to decide on the amount to be made available by the European Union to finance early (2010-2012) climate change mitigation measures in developing countries.

This past October, the EU leaders agreed that the EU Member States would make contributions on a voluntary basis, while from 2013 onwards, contributions for climate change mitigation would be decided proportionally and in accordance with Member States' economic ability to pay.

The European Council also plans to approve the Stockholm Programme 2010-2014 targeted primarily at enforcing civil rights and freedoms, security, and justice in Europe. The Programme contains a provision requiring that all crimes committed by totalitarian regimes be deplored equally.

President Dalia Grybauskaitė stressed that the Stockholm Programme took account of many proposals put forward by Lithuania, including the provision concerning totalitarian regimes.

According to the President, Lithuania expects that efficient implementation of this programme will be ensured.