Lithuania urges climate change protection

VILNIUS/BRUSSELS - On  September 13, Lithuania's Vice-Minister of Foreign AffairsAsta Skaisgiryte Liauskiene took part in an informal meeting of the EuropeanUnion's Trade Ministers in Brussels.The Ministers discussed important issues of trade policy: the economic downturn,the increasing protectionism, a necessity to prompt economic integration, therole of the World Trade Organization (WTO) in the international trade, means ofcurbing climate change and the implementation of development cooperationprojects.

During the meeting, Liauskiene stressed that if protectionism werestrengthened in the current situation, we would have to forget our hopes ofseeing the economy quickly recovering.

"The EU has to try to influence unfavorable decisions made by the thirdcountries, so that the EU exporters would have as little loss aspossible.  While curbing protectionism, it is necessary to apply all themeasures that are determined in the EU's Market Access Strategy," said Liauskiene.

The Vice-Minister emphasized that in order to curb climate change, a globalagreement was needed, under which the countries that pollute environment themost would undertake a commitment to reduce pollution emissions.

"If we do not achieve this, there will be a threat of serious negativeconsequences for the EU, particularly the loss of competitive ability and therelocation of the industry, i.e. the shift of the branches of industry thatpollute environment the most to such countries, which apply no limits topollution and, in this way, the world's pollution would increase," said Liauskiene.

In the opinion of the Vice-Minister, in order to avoid severe climate change,we have to discuss and carefully evaluate all the measures and possiblescenarios, including also the input of importers of goods into solving problemscaused by climate change.