Based on the agenda, Lithuania will draft its national EU Presidency agenda for six months.
Lithuania's Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs Vytautas Leškevičius says that the so-called presidency trios' agenda reflects the areas Lithuania will pay particular attention to during its presidency. These are energy, the Eastern Neighborhood, the Baltic Sea region's strategy, and effective protection of external borders.
"It is especially important that issues important to Lithuania, including the establishment of the EU's internal energy market, the abolishment of energy islands, the development of energy and transport infrastructure, and the protection of the EU's external borders, are highlighted," he said.
Three successive presidencies, known as presidency trios, cooperate for an 18-month period to provide continuity by sharing common political programs from 1 January 2013 until 30 June 2014. Lithuania will hold EU Presidency starting on 1 July 2013.
"The key measures on the trio's agenda are restoring trust in the European Union's economy, promoting growth and employment, further deepening the internal market, ensuring financial stability and strengthening the economic and monetary union," Leškevičius said while presenting the 18-month program at the meeting of the General Affairs Council.
