Lithuanian presidency approaching: institutional cooperation is necessary to achieve common EU goals

Lithuanian foreign affairs vice-minister Vytautas Leškevičius, while presenting the principal goals of the Lithuanian Presidency of the European Union (EU) Council in the Conference of Committee Chairs of the European Parliament (EP) in Strasbourg, stressed the importance of the cooperation of the EU institutions.
The vice-minister pointed out: “Since we approach European elections, the next half-year EU institutions expect an exceptional workload in the field of legislation activity. We need to work together effectively to achieve common goals, because the results depend on all of us.“
In Strasbourg the vice-minister presented main priorities of the Lithuanian Presidency of the EU Council, which are the building of a credible, growing and open Europe.
While speaking to the representatives of the EP, the Lithuanian foreign affairs vice-minister pointed out: “As this is the European Year of Citizens we are once again reminded of our common responsibility to our people. We need to keep building a Europe that is credible to its citizens and the world. Europe, which grows its economy and offers jobs. Europe, which remains open to its partners and neighbours”.
In the meeting with the committee chairs of the EP the issues concerning the future work of the EU Council and EP during the forthcoming six months were also discussed. During the next half-year the matter of great importance will be to reach agreements on the implementing programs of the Multiannual Financial Framework 2014-2020 and the EU Budget for 2014, as well as on such issues as financial stability, economic growth. The entire programme for the Lithuania‘s Presidency will be presented to the European Parliament by President Dalia Grybauskaitė on the 3rd of July.
The meeting of the foreign affairs vice-minister and the Committee Chairs of the European Parliament is one of the most significant preliminary events before the Presidency. Permanent cooperation with the EP will be upheld during the entire period of the Lithuanian Presidency of the EU Council. All the new legislative acts of the EU are simultaneously discussed in the EP committees and by the working parties at the EU Council which this half-year will be chaired by Lithuanian representatives. This means that every single EU legislative act will be negotiated between Lithuanian representatives and members of the EP.
The Conference of Committee Chairs of the EP consists of 22 chairs of permanent and temporary committees. The main task of this conference is to coordinate the activities of all the EP committees and to bring forward proposals concerning the organisation of the EP‘s plenary sessions. The meetings of the committee chairs take part in Strasbourg once a month.