The leaders exchanged views on the guidelines proposed by the Council for the distribution of the multiannual EU budget and the European Recovery Fund.
The President emphasized that the future financial cycle of the EU should provide ample opportunities for the member states to address the economic and social crisis caused by the pandemic and to implement a long-term development strategy. According to the President, maintaining the concentration and solidarity of the EU member states was highly important now to ensure a quick and efficient negotiation process and to reach an agreement as soon as possible.
The President said that increased funding for the cohesion policy was one of the biggest expectations of the Baltic States. “The EU must live up to its commitments to harmonize direct payments to Baltic farmers in order to achieve full convergence by 2027, and to ensure adequate funding for the Ignalina NPP and the implementation of the Kaliningrad Transit Scheme”, the President said.
The leaders also exchanged views on the distribution principles of the European Recovery Fund. Lithuania believes that the allocation criteria must be fair and objective and all member states should be able to use the instrument.
The agenda and strategic priorities of the euro group were also discussed during the phone call. As to the issues of strengthening the economic and monetary union, the President expressed hope that the discussions on the completion of the EU banking union and the reform of the European Stability Mechanism, the budgetary instrument for competitiveness and convergence in the euro area, would resume.
The leaders also shared knowledge on the dynamics as well as the social and economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in their countries.
