'Today Lithuania is an open, growing and reliable State. It is a country of bright minds, offering a favourable climate for investors', said the Prime Minister, highlighting the promotion of foreign investments as one of the priority goals. 'Lithuania has advanced in the Global Competitiveness Index for countries, improving in nine of the twelve criteria and achieving the greatest progress in the macroeconomic sector. We have improved the business environment by adopting investment-friendly decisions. A new version of the Law on Territorial Planning has introduced essential changes in the regulation of territorial planning and reduced the length of the procedure. Amendments to the Law on Free Economic Zones have been adopted in an attempt to ensure economically substantiated development of FEZs and to enhance the application of tax privileges for FEZ enterprises. The Labour Code has been amended to reduce the administrative burden on employers. Employment contract registers have been abolished', noted the Prime Minister.
As of the next year, the euro will become Lithuania's currency, which is expected to further improve Lithuania's competitiveness and attractiveness.
The American-Lithuanian Business Council welcomes the adopted amendments of the law concerning the legal status of aliens, which have introduced a possibility for highly qualified specialists and investors to reside and work in Lithuania on a temporary basis, and sees those amendments as crucial for the efforts to attract investor attention.
The President of the American-Lithuanian Business Council, Eric Stewart, has emphasised that Lithuania is not only interested in attracting new investors but also in creating a favourable climate for companies already operating in our country. According to Mr Stewart, this is highly appreciated.
The Prime Minister is convinced that Lithuania's plans to establish a Consulate-General in Los Angeles will also have a positive impact on the economic cooperation between the countries. His view is endorsed by Danguolė Navickienė, President of the Lithuanian World Community, who has sent a letter to the Prime Minister: 'Additionally, on behalf of the Lithuanian World Community as well as its local Boards of Los Angeles and Western District, let me express our gratitude for your declared intensions to establish a Lithuanian Consulate-General in Los Angeles. In can speak boldly for everyone that we will be happy to offer our assistance in the process of establishment and are looking forward to substantial and pleasant cooperation in the future. I have noticed that all Lithuanian communities, where there is a Lithuanian Embassy or a General Consulate, are more active, including their expression of nationality [...]. It will provide easier access to consular services. We hope that the establishment of a General Consulate in California will accelerate economic cooperation with the United States. Californian economy ranks sixth in the world, which provides numerous possibilities.'
Participants of the meeting expressed their joy over the US company Intermedix Corporation that has recently established its first European service centre in Kaunas, which already employs 200 highly-qualified specialists. The company has plans for further expansion in Lithuania and active cooperation with education institutions.
Other US companies successfully operating in Lithuania are Western Union, Philip Morris, Strategic Staffing Solutions and Thermo Fisher Scientific. Activities of the American-Lithuanian Business Council include promotion of bilateral trade relations and investment as well as development of bilateral cooperation.
