Minister Taminskas to Present Lithuania's EU Council Presidency Priorities at the European Parliament
Lithuania's Minister of Transport and Communications, Juras Taminskas, is heading to Strasbourg today to discuss transport policy priorities for Lithuania's forthcoming Presidency of the Council of the European Union (EU) with Elissavet Vozemberg-Vrionidi, Chair of the European Parliament's Committee on Transport and Tourism (TRAN), and other members of the Committee.
"During Lithuania's Presidency, we will work to ensure that transport serves as a key pillar of Europe's security and competitiveness. Our position on the future EU budget is clear: the Connecting Europe Facility must be adequately funded, with a dedicated allocation for military mobility. For Lithuania, it is essential to secure the necessary funding for the strategic Rail Baltica and Via Baltica projects and increase the EU co-financing rate to up to 85%. We will also seek to relaunch discussions on ending seasonal clock changes across the EU," said Mr Taminskas.
According to the Minister, Lithuania will place particular emphasis on the implementation of the Military Mobility Regulation, aimed at facilitating the efficient movement of military personnel and equipment across Europe. Efforts will also focus on advancing negotiations on the Passenger Package, which would enable travellers to plan, compare and purchase multimodal journeys more easily through a single platform.
The Minister also stressed the importance of securing sufficient funding for transport infrastructure development and strengthening strategic transport links under the 2028-2034 Multiannual Financial Framework.
In addition, Lithuania's Presidency agenda will include the modernisation of the rail, aviation and maritime sectors, improvements to regional connectivity, the development of a fully integrated EU telecommunications market, and other issues important for citizens' mobility, Europe's competitiveness and security.
The Minister's visit to Strasbourg will continue until 21 October.
Lithuania will hold the Presidency of the Council of the EU during the first half of 2027, succeeding Ireland, which holds the Presidency in the second half of 2026.