The text of the conclusions of the working session on EU climate change policy insisted on the need for the third countries to ensure the highest international environmental and safety standards.
"I am pleased that Community leaders take Lithuania’s concerns about unsafe projects in the EU’s neighborhood seriously," said President Gitanas Nausėda.
The President emphasized that Lithuania had successfully turned towards renewable energy after abandoning nuclear energy and reminded that a climate-neutral economy by 2050 was the moral responsibility of the Community. However, this requires a well-considered, socially fair and efficient economic transformation geared towards sustainable growth, equal access to the Fair Transition Fund (TPF) and other financial incentives in the multiannual financial framework.
The President indicated that, according to preliminary calculations, Lithuania needed about 14 billion euros to implement the EU energy and climate policy goals by 2030 and achieving climate neutrality by 2050 would cost about 41 billion euros.
The President drew the attention of EU Heads of State and Government to the fact that agreement between the European Parliament and the Finnish Presidency on the Mobility Package could lead to more pollution. Even more so, the reduction of payments for agriculture and cohesion policies provided for in the multiannual financial framework would have a negative impact on delivering climate change objectives.
“Finnish Presidency proposes reducing cohesion policy funding for Lithuania by 27 percent. This threatens both regional development and the achievement of green goals. There is also no justification for the persistent gap between direct payments to farmers in EU countries”, the President said, adding that EU budget for 2021-2027 must be sustainable, fair and well-balanced.
In the debate on EU relations with Russia following the Normandy Quartet meeting in Paris on December 9, the EU leaders agreed that Russia did not demonstrate progress in implementing the Minsk agreements and that there was no reason to lift the sanctions
On Friday, December 13, the President will attend the euro area summit, meet with Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte and discuss with other EU leaders the future of Brexit and future relations with the United Kingdom following its withdrawal from the Community.
