The President introduced Lithuania’s key priorities in the negotiations: adequate funding for coherence and agricultural policies. Together with the other Baltic leaders, Gitanas Nausėda pointed out to Charles Michel that it was necessary to ensure equal competition conditions for all EU farmers by increasing direct payments.
“In the EU’s single market, direct payments to Lithuanian farmers cannot be lower than those received by the farmers of some other countries by as much as three times,” the President said.
Speaking about the cohesion policy, the President highlighted its input to attaining the ambitious EU agenda on climate change and digitalization, stressing the need for proper funding.
Gitanas Nausėda underlined that it was necessary for EU leaders to reach agreement in order to effectively respond to the COVID created economic and social challenges and to prepare for a possible second wave of the pandemic. The EU’s multiannual financial framework and the recovery instrument were critical for speedy economic recovery, EU competitiveness and its strategic agenda.
Special focus was placed on the need to negotiate the conditionalities of the rule of law and financial governance.