Lithuania off to good start

  • 2013-07-23
  • From wire reports

VILNIUS - Lithuania took over smoothly the Presidency of the Council of the EU, yet it is too early to talk about the results, Algirdas Semeta, European Commissioner for Taxation and Customs Union, Audit and Anti-Fraud, says, reports ELTA. “As the saying goes, well begun is half done. In my opinion the start of the Lithuanian Presidency is very good. Of course, it is just the first two weeks of Lithuania’s presentations both in here and in Brussels, but these presentations were successful,” said Semeta in the interview with radio Ziniu Radijas on July 23.

The European commissioner revealed that his colleagues as well as the members of the European Commission praised the opening events of Presidency; in addition, everyone underlined a high level of organization. “Lithuania succeeded to quickly reach the agreement of the member states’ position on the 2014 EU budget. Now the negotiations with the European Parliament over this issue lie ahead,” Semeta said, enumerating the first work of the country.

According to the European commissioner, the final evaluation of the Lithuanian Presidency of the EU Council can be made in December, but for now a number of decisions and tasks lie ahead.