During a packed committee week, MEPs will talk about vaccines and sustainability as well as hold a hearing about Portugal’s priorities for the Council presidency the next six months.

Prime Minister Ingrida Šimonytė has had a remote meeting with Prime Minister of Sweden Stefan Löfven, and has discussed fight against the pandemic, bilateral and regional cooperation, the importance of support to Belarus, and energy security.

MEPs demanded more clarity about Covid-19 vaccine contracts and welcomed the inauguration of Joe Biden as US president during Parliament's first plenary session of the year.

President Gitanas Nausėda with Prime Minister of Latvia Krišjānis Kariņš and Prime Minister of Estonia Jüri Ratas addressed the heads of the EU institutions, calling on the forthcoming European Council on 21 January to agree on targets and deadlines for the collective immunity of EU citizens. The Baltic leaders urged the European leaders to take immediate action to ensure speed and efficiency of the vaccination process.

On Wednesday, with a view to improving emotional health of single people during the lockdown, the Government has provided for exceptions allowing two households to meet.

The plenary session of the European Parliament is taking place this week. Most meetings and tasks are organised remotely due to Covid-19. Among the many current issues related to combating the effects of the pandemic, the European Parliament also discussed the state of human rights and democracy and the Union's policy in this area. Member of the European Parliament (MEP), Chairman of the EAPL-CFA, Valdemar Tomaševski also participated in the exchange of views on these topics.

On Monday, President Gitanas Nausėda met with Minister of Defense Arvydas Anušauskas to discuss the situation, activity plans and objectives of the national defense system in 2021, focusing on cyber security challenges.

Covid-19 vaccines in the EU, relations with the US and the priorities of the new Council presidency will be discussed at the first plenary session of 2021.

January 13 Minister of National Defence Arvydas Anušauskas had a meeting with Federal Minister of Defence of Germany Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer via a video teleconference. The officials discussed defence cooperation of the two countries, the successful German Presidency of the Council of the European Union, and other themes.

President Gitanas Nausėda convened a meeting of the Foreign Policy Coordination Council to discuss key priorities and objectives in foreign policy in 2021.