Lithuania has to increase investment in human capital - European Commission

VILNIUS- The European Commission identifies increasing investment in human capital, and boosting productivity and labor supply as key challenges for Lithuania.

"This year's report is much brighter than last year's, because we had the best economic year since 2009, both in Lithuania and in Europe," Arnoldas Pranckevicius, head of the European Commission Representation in Vilnius, said at a news conference on Wednesday.

"The report on Lithuania underlines that poverty and social exclusion is among the highest in Europe and that inequality remains a matter of concern for us," he said. 

The Commission also points out in its latest report that demographic trends in Lithuania "are negative due to strong emigration, and are aggravated by bad health outcomes".

The EU's executive body published on Wednesday country reports analyzing challenges faced by the bloc's member states. Based on these reports, recommendations for individual countries will be issued in May.