LXVI COSAC: focus on irregular migration, solidarity against the backdrop of hybrid attacks at the EU borders, and support for the Western Balkan countries on their path to the EU

Press release, 30 November 2021

On 29–30 November 2021, Radvilė Morkūnaitė-Mikulėnienė, Deputy Speaker of the Seimas, Chair of the Committee on European Affairs; Laima Andrikienė, Vice-Chair of the Committee on European Affairs; Andrius Mazuronis and Gintautas Paluckas, Members of the Seimas, are participating in a remote plenary session of the LXVI Conference of Parliamentary Committees for Union Affairs (COSAC).

The meeting on 29 November discussed the achievements of the Slovenian Presidency of the Council of the EU and the European perspective of the Western Balkan countries.

Speaking about the Western Balkans countries aspiring to EU membership, Laima Andrikienė noted that Lithuania strongly supported their integration process, during which significant progress has been made, and encouraged the continuation of key reforms. ‘In the light of recent developments aimed at destabilising the situation in the region, it is not only the technical aspects of the negotiations, i.e. opening and closing of negotiating chapters, that we should take into account. More important it is to consider whether the countries of the Western Balkans are committed to European values and principles and to pursuing common strategic goals,’ said the politician. When referring to the situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina, she noted that only the country that was not fragmented and that was pursuing European reforms, could progress towards closer integration with Europe, and Lithuania supported this. The Lithuanian representative also suggested that it was necessary to promote bilateral dialogue between Bulgaria and North Macedonia by seeking arguments that would unite the two sides. The Member of the Seimas also noted that Lithuania expected the Kosovo-Serbia Working Group to find a long-term solution to the dispute over Serbian car license plates refused to be recognised by Kosovo. ‘Lithuania fully supports the EU-promoted dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina. It is important to avoid new tensions between the countries,’ stressed Ms Andrikienė.

LXVI COSAC unanimously agreed that the EU negotiating frameworks with North Macedonia and Albania should be approved and intergovernmental conferences with both candidates should be held as soon as possible. LXVI COSAC also highlighted the ‘Fit for 55’ package of proposals aimed at making the European economy climate-neutral.

LXVI COSAC focused on the issue of migration, condemned the hybrid attacks at EU borders, in particular the ongoing hybrid attack by the Belarusian regime, and stressed the urgent need to seek consensus on amendments to the Pact on Migration and Asylum. When talking about economic recovery and further containment of the pandemic, most representatives of national parliaments, stressed the need to assess lessons learned in order to be able to respond systematically and manage crises in the future.

COSAC (Conference of Parliamentary Committees for Union Affairs) is a conference of the European Affairs Committees of the national parliaments of the Member States of the European Union and of Members of the European Parliament. It is a six-monthly forum which may adopt any proposal to the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission. COSAC encourages the exchange of information and best practices between national parliaments and the European Parliament.

Slovenia holds the Presidency of the Council of the EU from 1 July to 31 December 2021.

Aistė Pikiotienė, Adviser to the Office of the Committee on European Affairs, tel. +370 5 239 684