Following the update of the list of affected countries, as of Monday a test and self-isolation is required for arrivals from Ireland, Belgium, and islands of Greece (except for Thassos) who have not had the COVID-19 disease during the past six months and have not been vaccinated against it. These countries and territories have been classified as the red area. As the classification of the Czech Republic and Italy have shifted from green to yellow, travellers from these countries will have to take a COVID-19 test before and after arrival. Those arriving from Norway will only need to take a test before the trip, as the country has been classified as green since Monday.

The European Commission has presented an ambitious package of legislative proposals to strengthen the EU's anti-money laundering and countering terrorism financing (AML/CFT) rules. The package also includes the proposal for the creation of a new EU authority to fight money laundering. This package is part of the Commission's commitment to protect EU citizens and the EU's financial system from money laundering and terrorist financing. The aim of this package is to improve the detection of suspicious transactions and activities, and to close loopholes used by criminals to launder illicit proceeds or finance terrorist activities through the financial system. As recalled in the EU's Security Union Strategy for 2020-2025, enhancing the EU's framework for anti-money laundering and countering terrorist financing will also help to protect Europeans from terrorism and organised crime.

To ensure that the pandemic does not overload healthcare facilities nor disrupt other healthcare services, the Government is proposing additional measures and restrictions to manage COVID-19 (coronavirus infection) in the country, when COVID-19 hospital bed occupancy will start approaching 300. In that case, contact activities will be allowed if persons meet the criteria set in the National Certificate.

What can protect you against severe forms of COVID-19: a test or a vaccine? Vilnius believes that vaccines is the only way to containing the pandemic. Following the national-level resolution to offer free COVID-19 testing to those who have not been vaccinated against COVID-19, the number of tests done in Vilnius has increased almost seven times, however, the capital city has no plans to increase the scope or resources of testing any further. It has decided to focus on vaccination instead.

Vilnius is looking forward to more impressive laser and light performances – inspiring, uniting and at the same time causing no harm to the environment and health, like fireworks. The capital’s Council has just adopted a resolution whereby the city committed to create an alternative to fireworks for celebrations and important occasions of the city, especially the New Year.

After months of lockdown, travel and tourism have slowly restarted. Discover what the EU recommends to ensure safe journeys.

Lithuanian Airports, managing three air gateways in Vilnius, Kaunas and Palanga, record a rapid recovery of passenger aviation. Compared to the first quarter of 2021, the number of passengers more than doubled and the number of flights on offer was 71% higher in the second quarter.

MEPs adopted rules to facilitate making more data available to help create new products and innovation, in particular in Artificial Intelligence.

MEPs want the deadlock in international negotiations on the establishment of two protected Antarctic marine areas to end soon.

The Regional Cyber Defence Centre (hereinafter RCDC) was officially established in the beginning of July, it will operate as an element of the National Cyber Security Centre under the Ministry of National Defence. Col Romualdas Petkevičius, who was appointed director of the RCDC on July 14 says he will seek to make the RCDC become a regional practical cooperation platform that will help prevent cyber-attacks on the countries’ critical infrastructure in the nearest year. In the following interview Col R. Petkevičius presents the RCDC vision and nearest work plans.