President Schulz opened the session by calling a minute’s silence for the victims of the severe earthquake in central Italy on 24 August, which killed almost 300 people, left over 3,000 homeless, damaged more than 70 villages, and in some cases destroyed whole communities.

At the invitation of German Chancellor Angela Merkel, President Dalia Grybauskaitė is taking part an informal working dinner in Berlin to discuss preparations for the upcoming Bratislava summit on the future of EU-27.

Statistics Lithuania informs that in August 2016, compared to July, prices for consumer goods and services decreased by 0.5%. The overall price change was mainly influenced by a decrease in prices for vegetables, spirits, fuels, footwear, as well as by an increase in prices for tobacco products, bread and cereals, package holidays.

President Dalia Grybauskaitė met with European Council President Donald Tusk. The meeting focused on preparations for the EU-27 summit, which will be held next week in Bratislava to reflect on the future of the European Union.

On Sunday, September 11, President Dalia Grybauskaitė is going on a working visit to Berlin where she will meet with German Federal Chancellor Angela Merkel.

Since 1 July 2016, Slovakia has taken over the Presidency of the Council of the European Union, previously held by the Kingdom of the Netherlands. On 7 September 2016, Peter Hatiar, Ambassador of the Republic of Slovakia to Lithuania, presented the priorities of the Slovak Presidency of the Council of the EU at a joint meeting of the Committee on European Affairs and the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the Seimas.

Tomorrow, September 9, at 10 a.m., President Dalia Grybauskaitė will meet with European Council President Donald Tusk to discuss preparations for the meeting of the EU’s 27 leaders in Bratislava.

In the meeting of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe on 7 September in Strasbourg, France, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania Linas Linkevičius stressed that Turkey needed the international community’s support to regain stability, following a failed military coup. Lithuania’s Foreign Minister noted that Turkey remained a very important partner for Europe, which played a significant role in addressing the global challenges of migration, the fight against terrorism and security.

Plans to grant citizens of Kosovo and Georgia the right to travel to the Schengen area without a visa were backed by Civil Liberties Committee MEPs on Monday.

Former commissioners Janez Potočnik and Antonio Tajani are questioned this week by a parliamentary inquiry committee looking into car emissions testing. In addition MEPs discuss the future of EU financing with members of national parliaments. Political groups also prepare for next week's plenary session, including the annual state of the EU debate with Jean-Claude Juncker, president of the European Commission.