Since the Republic of Lithuania acceded to the European Union on 1 May 2004, the Seimas has chosen a model of active parliamentary involvement in debating European Union matters with the powers of the Seimas embedded in the Constitution of the Republic of Lithuania to participate in deliberating EU matters and the right to receive all information related to EU matters. According to the model for the parliamentary scrutiny of the consideration of EU matters, parliamentary scrutiny is understood not only as assessment of completed activities but also as monitoring of activities conducted by the Executive.

In line with the model established in the Seimas for the coordination of EU matters, all the committees (referred to as “specialised committees” in the Statute of the Seimas) participate in considering EU matters. Two of the committees, however, the Committee on European Affairs and the Committee on Foreign Affairs in particular, have exceptional powers under the Constitutional Act of the Republic of Lithuania on Membership of the Republic of Lithuania in the European Union adopted on 13 July 2004. The Committees may, according to the procedure established by the Statute of the Seimas, submit to the Government the opinion of the Seimas concerning legislative proposals of the European Union.

Setting-up of the committees of the Seimas

The committees of the Seimas are made up of at least seven but no more than 17 Members of the Seimas (with the exception of the Committee on European Affairs) according to the principle of proportional representation of the Seimas political groups. The exact number of members in a committee is approved by a Seimas resolution. Political groups, taking into consideration the requests and competence of their members, recommend them to the committees in compliance with the norms of representation of political groups approved by the Conference of Chairs. The composition of the committees is approved by the Seimas by voting for the entire list of the members of the committee.

The Committee on European Affairs is made up of at least 15 but no more than 25 Members of the Seimas according to the principle of proportional representation of the Seimas political groups. The political groups delegate their representatives from among Chairs or Deputy Chairs of the Committees, Chairs or Deputy Chairs of the political groups, and members of the political groups responsible for EU matters. Members of the Seimas serving on other committees may be members of the Committee on European Affairs. The Deputy Speaker of the Seimas responsible for European Union affairs shall be appointed Chair of the Committee on European Affairs. The Seimas sets the number of Deputy Chairs of the Committee on European Affairs.

The Committee on European Affairs of the Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania (hereinafter referred to as the Committee on European Affairs or the Committee) was set up on 18 September 1997 under Resolution No VIII-416 of the Seimas on the Establishment of the Committee on European Affairs. The Committee on European Affairs accounts for the biggest number of members from among 15 standing committees of the Seimas and is made up of at least 15 but no more than 25 Members of the Seimas according to the principle of proportional representation of Seimas political groups. Political groups delegate their representatives from among their chairs or deputy chairs and members responsible for EU matters and from among chairs and deputy chairs of Seimas committees. The exact number of members in the Committee and its composition are approved by a Seimas resolution. Members of the Seimas serving on other committees may be members of the Committee. Under the Statute of the Seimas, the Deputy Speaker of the Seimas responsible for European Union affairs is appointed Chair of the Committee on European Affairs. The Seimas sets the number of deputy chairs of the Committee on European Affairs by passing its resolution.

The Committee on Foreign Affairs cover various fields of foreign policy. The Committee considers and prepares conclusions concerning the ratification and denouncement of international treaties and other legal acts related to foreign affairs.

The Committee, in cooperation with public authorities and non-governmental organisations, maintains and develops relations with Lithuanian emigrants and their organisations abroad and with the autochthonous Lithuanians residing outside the Republic of Lithuania. Besides, the Committee, in cooperation with other committees, considers problems related to the regulation of migration and submits proposals and conclusions pertaining to them; debates on foreign trade policy, assistance and development cooperation policy.

The Committee plays a very important role in considering and submitting recommendations and proposals to the Government concerning establishment of diplomatic relations of Lithuania and opening of Lithuanian missions abroad, as well as recommendations and proposals related to appointment and recalling of diplomatic representatives of Lithuania in foreign states and international organisations.

With regard to Lithuania’s priorities in foreign policy, the Committee considers and submits recommendations on the Seimas’ priorities in international cooperation, on representation of the Seimas in international organisations and assemblies, activities of the Seimas delegations in international organisations and assemblies, setting-up of Seimas inter-parliamentary relations groups; the Committee co-ordinates activities of the latter groups, hears and evaluates activity reports as well as co-ordinates the activities of the International Relations Department of the Office of the Seimas.

European Information Office of the Seimas (hereinafter — the Office) was jointly established by the Committee on European Affairs, the Embassy of the UK in Lithuania, and the European Committee under the Government of the Republic of Lithuania in 2002. The Office is an independent unit of the Office of the Seimas. Its mission is to spread information about the EU, Lithuania’s EU membership, and the role of the Seimas in the context of Lithuania’s EU membership.

The Seimas European Club is an informal discussion forum operating at the Seimas since 2005. It unites Members of the Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania and Lithuanian MEPs who share the idea of a united Europe, respect for human dignity and human rights, freedom, equality, democracy, and the rule of law, as well as recognise the importance of Lithuania’s EU membership for the country’s future. The Seimas European Club currently unites 28 Members of the Seimas.