Radvilė Morkūnaitė-Mikulėnienė at the LXX COSAC Plenary Meeting: ‘The EU makes history: Lithuania’s efforts have led to the first-ever COSAC attended by Armenia’

Press release, 27 November 2023 

On 26–28 November 2023, a delegation led by Radvilė Morkūnaitė-Mikulėnienė, Chair of the Seimas Committee on European Affairs, and consisting of Arminas Lydeka, Deputy Chair of the Committee, and Jonas Jarutis, Member of the Committee, took part in the LXX Plenary Meeting of the Conference of Parliamentary Committees for Union Affairs of Parliaments of the European Union (COSAC) in Madrid.

Ms Morkūnaitė-Mikulėnienė thanked the Spanish Presidency for the fact that most of Lithuania’s proposals, including those forwarded by Lithuania yet stemming from Ukraine, were included in the Contribution of the LXX COSAC, which was adopted by consensus by Member States.

She referred to the Plenary Meeting as historic because a representative of the Armenian Parliament was present at the Meeting. She also thanked the European Parliament for its firm stance and strong political message in support of peace in the region and cooperation between the European Union and Armenia.

‘We highly appreciate Spain’s focus on EU enlargement, because, with Ukraine and Moldova at its centre, EU enlargement is the best guarantee of security for both these two countries and the EU itself,’ Ms Morkūnaitė-Mikulėnienė said. She also thanked the Spanish Presidency for strengthening unity; for focusing efforts to continue the EU’s strong and united support for Ukraine; for further reinforcing the capabilities of the EU’s defence industry; and for the Presidency’s work to reach an agreement with the European Parliament on a highly important European Critical Raw Materials Act to help reduce the EU’s dependence on third countries.

Photos of the conference organizer 

Mr Lydeka addressed the current migration challenges and stressed that the pressure on all migratory routes, the situation on the eastern borders, and the new wave of migration caused by the escalating conflict in the Middle East required a decisive response from the European Union. ‘As a transit country for the majority of third-country nationals and as a Member State facing instrumentalisation of migration, we must clearly emphasise that, in order to reduce the pull factors of migration, it is crucial to deny access to the territory of the Member States to those who need no protection,’ he said. ‘The instrumentalisation of migrants at the borders of Lithuania, Poland and Latvia persists. Moreover, it has expanded to the border regions of Finland and Estonia. The approach to migration management in the EU needs transformation. Moving from crisis response to clear-cut prevention of irregular migration is imperative,’ Mr Lydeka said.

Photo of the Office of the Seimas

The first and second sessions of the LXX COSAC Plenary Meeting, held on 27 November 2023, discussed the Spanish Presidency of the Council of the EU, the European Union Pact on Migration and Asylum, the energy crisis and green transition.

The Conference of Parliamentary Committees for Union Affairs of Parliaments of the European Union (COSAC) brings together the European Union Affairs Committees of the national Parliaments and the European Parliament. The Conference, which meets on a regular basis, enables the national Parliaments and the European Parliament to exchange information and good practices. The Conference may submit any contribution for the attention of the European Parliament, the Council, and the Commission.

Spain is holding the Presidency of the Council of the EU from 1 July to 31 December 2023.

Aistė Pikiotienė, Adviser, Office of the Committee on European Affairs, Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania, tel. +370 5 209 6864