Press release, 16 June 2016
Photos of the Office of the Seimas (author Džoja Gunda Barysaitė)
On 16 June 2016, Loreta Graužinienė, Speaker of the Seimas, at her meeting with Elżbieta Bieńkowska, Commissioner for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs, focused on the EU’s single market, consumer rights, e-commerce, taxation policy and labour law. In addition, the Commissioner made a more detailed presentation of the new agenda for the collaborative economy.
The Speaker of the Seimas drew the Commission’s attention to the threat posed by the Posted Workers Directive to two core values of the EU — the single market and competition. Lithuania is particularly vulnerable to potential negative effects of the Directive on Lithuanian carriers and the transport sector as a whole. The Seimas expressed its reasoned opinion on the non-compliance of the Directive with the principle of subsidiarity.
According to the Speaker of the Seimas, the sector of transport and logistics accounts for a significant share of Lithuania’s economy. Therefore, the decisions taken in some EU countries may significantly damage the interests of Lithuania’s carriers and negatively affect the competitiveness of the EU in the field of road transport.
Ms Bieńkowska acknowledged the justified concern of Lithuania and informed the Speaker of the Seimas that on 16 June 2016 the European Commission recognised France’s and Germany’s decisions on more stringent regulation of working and resting time as infringing upon the principles of competition.
The Commissioner stressed that the functioning of the single market remained a top priority and acknowledged Lithuania’s concerns. Ms Bieńkowska confirmed to the Speaker of the Seimas that Lithuania’s view was clearly audible in the Commission and efforts would be made to find an optimal solution.
Rosvaldas Gorbačiovas, Senior Adviser to the Speaker of the Seimas, tel. +370 5 239 6005, mob. +370 698 42 071, e-mail: [email protected]
