The Committee on European Affairs was set up on 18 September 1997 under Resolution No VIII-416 of the Seimas on the Establishment of the Committee on European Affairs with the aim of ensuring parliamentary scrutiny of Lithuania’s readiness for the membership of the European Union. It is one of the two Seimas committees, whose powers to address EU matters are enshrined in the Constitution.

Being the largest committee in the Seimas, the Committee on European Affairs is currently composed of 23 members representing 10 parliamentary political groups. The Statute of the Seimas establishes that the Committee shall be composed of at least 15 but no more than 25 Members of the Seimas in accordance with the principle of proportional representation of the Seimas political groups.

Since Lithuania’s accession to the European Union on 1 May 2004, the Seimas has established a model of active parliamentary involvement in the consideration of EU matters. In line with this model, all the standing committees (referred to as the ‘specialised committees’ in the Statute of the Seimas) participate in the consideration of EU matters. However, the Committee on European Affairs (as well as the Committee on Foreign Affairs) enjoys 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, as it may submit opinions of the Seimas on legislative proposals of the European Union to the Government.

Hearings at the European Affairs Committee and the standing committees are public and broadcasted except when confidential information is used in the debates on the Republic of Lithuania position. In all other instances the public has full access and can follow freely the progress of the parliamentary scrutiny process.

The Committee on European Affairs performs a key role in considering and addressing EU matters and can act on behalf of the Seimas.