Ways Are Sought to Defend Lithuania’s Business Interests Better

On 30 April, Lithuania’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Vygaudas Ušackas took part in the round table discussion “The European Union’s External Trade Policy and Lithuania’s Positions: Threats and Possibilities for the Lithuanian Industry”. The he Minister and heads of the largest Lithuanian exporters discussed the possibilities for Lithuania to influence the external trade policy of the EU.

Minister V.Ušackas presented the programme provisions of the Lithuanian Government, the process of shaping the trade policy and its distinguishing features. 

“The Lithuanian economy is one of the world’s most open economies. The proportion of foreign trade turnover and GDP (116 %) shows that foreign trade is very important for the economy of Lithuania. Therefore, Lithuania should remain an advocate of liberal market and free trade,” said Minister V.Ušackas.

Minister V.Ušackas stressed that while seeking to defend the country’s business interests and to benefit from all the possibilities of the EU membership, it was necessary to open the markets of third countries for the exporters of Lithuanian goods and services, to guarantee that the partners would respect their commitments and to seek that trade would really be free.

“We cannot tolerate the state intervention in the economy – subsidies and determination of price for energy resources that are based on discrimination principles. We cannot be appeased with breaches of the law of intellectual property and unfounded non-tariff barriers,” the Minister stressed.

Representatives of the exporters favourably assessed the guidelines of the trade policy that the Minister presented and agreed to organise similar meetings at least once every half year.