The year 2020 was a challenging year for the transport sector. All communication was heavily constrained by the COVID-19 pandemic, also, part of the EU Mobility package provisions came into force. However, with the exception of the most severely impacted aviation and passenger transport sectors, changes in the communications sector may be seen as moderate with some results even exceeding expectations. The 2020 Transport Market Report prepared by the Ministry of Transport and Communications states that last year the transport sector saw the increase in freight transport, while the Seaport of Klaipėda reached its all-time load record.

High-level representatives of the Lithuanian and Polish central banks, the EU Delegation to Ukraine and the National Bank of Ukraine (NBU) met online to mark the launch of the EU-funded Twinning project to strengthen Ukraine’s central bank.

Commenting on the Government’s decision taken today to join other countries in the EU Court of Justice proceedings against the Mobility Package regulating the carriers’ activity, Minister of Transport of Communications Marius Skuodis stated that Lithuania upholds a consistent position with regard to the application of the European Union internal market principles and shall take all legal measures to protect the country’s carriers’ interests.

On Tuesday, MEPs adopted the new InvestEU programme, which will mobilise public and private investments and guarantees simplified access to financing.

A new tender will be launched for the longest railway bridge in Lithuania which is due to cross the river Neris. The decision was made by the company LTG Infra, which is implementing the Rail Baltica project in Lithuania.

Minister of the Economy and Innovation Aušrinė Armonaitė met with prominent Lithuanian women scientists and discussed possibilities of how to raise more talents capable of developing innovation in Lithuania and how to encourage girls to more actively choose studies and professions of natural and exact sciences.

A year-long testing of Ooniq, a peer-to-peer insurance platform of Workpower, UAB, has been completed within the Bank of Lithuania’s regulatory sandbox. This could open new opportunities in the financial services market.

Four years after Parliament adopted its position on draft legislation on public country-by-country reporting, EU governments come to the table to negotiate a deal.

The global COVID-19 pandemic has radically changed the lives of many people. Most of the service sector was unable to operate, and those who were allowed to work noticed a decline in the number of consumers. People working in different sectors are trying to adapt to the coronavirus. Meanwhile, financial experts predict that as we adapt to the virus, start working under different conditions and employ different methods, prices will rise. What is really going to happen?

The Bank of Lithuania will reorganise its portfolio of financial assets in accordance with the Eurosystem’s climate change-related sustainable and responsible investment principles. The Eurosystem, consisting of the European Central Bank and the central banks of the 19 euro area countries, has agreed on a common stance in regard to the application of these principles this month.