The Seimas Committee on European Affairs met with Vytenis Povilas Andriukaitis, Member of the European Commission, to hear a presentation on the Annual Growth Survey 2018 (hereinafter referred to as the Survey). The Survey marks the beginning of the eighth cycle of the European Semester and covers three areas where economic policy coordination is needed: 1) structural reforms focused on promoting growth and employment in line with the Europe 2020 strategy; 2) fiscal policies to ensure sustainability of public finance in line with the Stability and Growth Pact; and 3) prevention of excessive macroeconomic imbalances.

Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaite has signed 2018 year's state budget bill into law, her office said on Wednesday.

The inter-institutional working group for nuclear, radiation environmental safety of nuclear power plants built in the neighbourhood of Lithuania that is headed by the Lithuanian Foreign Minister, Linas Linkevičius, gathered for a meeting on 18 December 2017.

“This project marks a qualitative step forward in modernising the armed forces, providing it with up-to-date equipment and weaponry, which brings it closer to NATO standards and contributes directly to the enhancement of our common security,” Minister of National Defence Raimundas Karoblis said on December 18 after viewing the first two training Vilkas IFVs delivered to the Lithuanian Armed Forces Vehicle and Equipment Deport in Kaunas.

The Venezuelan opposition receives Parliament's Sakharov Prize, while MEPs also approved the reform of the EU's agricultural policy during December's plenary session.

Open registers of beneficial owners, effective whistle-blower protection and rules for intermediaries are a must to fight tax evasion, say MEPs.

President Dalia Grybauskaitė attends the European Council meeting where discussions on enhancing EU‘s resilience to possible financial shocks are held and proposals on the Eurozone’s reforms, tabled by the European Commission, are discussed.

In light of geopolitical challenges and a changing security environment, the European Union started a process of closer cooperation in security and defense. The leaders of 25 EU member states, including President Dalia Grybauskaitė, adopted a decision to establish PESCO – a framework for closer cooperation, outlined in the Lisbon Treaty, Article 46, that will mobilize EU member states’ forces for countering threats.

The Seimas approved the state budget for 2018, which will focus on reducing poverty, ensuring national security, promoting entrepreneurship and productive investment, and increasing municipal budgets and municipal financial independence. The motion was passed by 84 votes in favour with 29 against and 15 abstentions.

The Seimas adopted amendments to the Law on Immovable Property Tax, thus providing for progressive taxation of immovable property belonging by the right of ownership to or being acquired by natural persons for non-commercial purposes. The aforementioned immovable property means housing, gardens, garages, animal barns, greenhouses, farm buildings, ancillary farm buildings as well as science, religion and recreation facilities (premises), fish-farming and engineering structures. The amendments were adopted by 58 votes in favour, 6 against, and 29 abstentions.