Seimas Committee on European Affairs: region’s energy independence and security remain a top priority for the Baltic States and Poland

2017-10-05, 14:31

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L24.lt

On 1–2 October 2017, the chairs of the EU affairs committees of the Lithuanian, Latvian, Estonian and Polish parliaments held a meeting in Klaipėda where they unanimously agreed that energy independence and security remained a top priority for the Baltic States and Poland. The parliamentary representatives had the opportunity to visit the FSRU-type LNG terminal Independence, and learn in detail about the potential of the terminal. Tadas Matulionis, Director of the LNG Department, informed the participants about the construction and activities of the LNG terminal, which is among the key facilities ensuring energy security of the country. He also told the participants about the infrastructure and technical characteristics of the terminal and answered questions relating to the Lithuanian natural gas market, the capacity of the terminal, and the initiative to create a regional market for gas. Subsequently, the parliamentarians visited the Klaipėda State Seaport Authority and heard the presentation by Adomas Alekna, Harbour Master, on the activities and development possibilities of the port.

The meeting also discussed the agenda of the upcoming Conference of Parliamentary Committees for Union Affairs (COSAC), relevant EU legislative initiatives, and other matters. While addressing the EU’s future prospects, which are on the agenda of the upcoming COSAC meeting, Gediminas Kirkilas, Deputy Speaker of the Seimas and Chair of the Seimas Committee on European Affairs, reiterated his conviction that the EU enlargement issue should feature the debate on the EU’s future. “The EU has addressed the issue of enlargement for the first time in a decade. This is very important. Enlargement constitutes the untapped potential which the EU can and must look into, especially now, after Brexit and in the face of regional initiatives for independence in EU Member States. Within the context of enlargement, we must speak not only about the Western Balkans but also about the Eastern Partnership countries”, Mr Kirkilas said.

Andrius Kubilius, Deputy Chair of the Committee on European Affairs, presented the initiative A New European Plan for Ukraine, which provides for a Marshall Plan for Ukraine aimed at mobilising financial assistance for the country. Under the initiative, the annual investment package of up to EUR 5 billion in the coming five years would guarantee the growth of 6–8 per cent per year within a five-to-ten-year period. The plan would be implemented through EU funds and international donors. The chairs of the EU affairs committees of the Polish, Latvian, and Estonian parliaments showed interest in the implementation possibilities of the initiative, namely the investment potential and search for financial donors.

The meeting provided a forum for the exchange of opinions about the potential for developing transport infrastructure on the North-South axis, as well as the need to develop the regional infrastructure of Central and Eastern Europe and make efforts to ensure that regional infrastructure projects receive adequate attention during the negotiations on the next Multiannual Financial Framework. The participants of the meeting agreed that coordinated efforts of the governments in the region are a prerequisite for successful implementation of the initiative.

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