ON ACCESSION NEGOTIATIONS OF LITHUANIA TO

ON ACCESSION NEGOTIATIONS OF LITHUANIA TO SEIMAS OF THE REPUBLIC OF LITHUANIA RESOLUTION ON LITHUANIA'S NEGOTIATIONS FOR EU ACCESSION 19 December 2001 Vilnius The Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania, having considered the Regular Report from the Commission on Lithuania's Progress towards Accession and the instrument of Accession Partnership for Lithuania; having regard to the provisions concerning the fulfilment of undertakings made in the negotiations as set forth in the 2001 Enlargement Strategy Paper presented by the Commission as well as to the European Parliament resolutions on the EU enlargement and the European Parliament reports on Lithuania's application for membership of the EU and the state of negotiations; recognising the importance of conclusions agreed by the European Union leaders at their summit at Laeken; having heard the Report of the Government of the Republic of Lithuania on Lithuania's Progress towards Accession to the EU as well as on the drafting and implementation of Lithuania's EU Accession Programme and the principal tasks set for the final phase of negotiations; invoking the Statement of the Seimas of 26 November 1992, Resolution of the Seimas of 23 December 1993, Statement of the Seimas of 19 October 1995, Statement of the Seimas of 7 December 1995 “Concerning the Application of the Republic of Lithuania for Membership in the European Union,” Declaration of the Seimas of 28 November 1996 “Concerning Foreign Policy Objectives of the Republic of Lithuania,” Resolution of the Seimas of 6 November 1997 “Concerning the Priorities of Government Activity during Lithuania’s Integration into the European Union”, Seimas Resolution No. VIII-1642 of the of 20 April 2000 “On the Course of Accession Negotiations of the Republic of Lithuania to the European Union”, Resolution of the Seimas of 26 October 2000 “On Continuity of the National Foreign Policy”, Statement by the members of the Seimas parliamentary groups of 18 January 2001, Seimas Resolution No. IX-153 "Regarding the Integration of the Republic of Lithuania into the European Union" in which the Seimas expressed its resolve to ensure that the negotiations are completed in 2002 and Lithuania is prepared to become EU Member State as of 1 January 2004, as well as other legal acts; appreciates the progress made by Lithuania in the EU accession negotiations; notes a special significance of the decisions to be adopted in 2002 by the Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania and the Government of the Republic of Lithuania for a successful completion of the negotiations; emphasises that the Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania, the Government of the Republic of Lithuania, ministries and other State institutions taking part in the implementation of Lithuania's EU Accession Programme are responsible for the transposition and implementation of the acquis according to timetables, for the realisation of the measures envisaged in the Programme and for the fulfilment of the obligations assumed by Lithuania in the negotiations; mindful of the absolute necessity to immediately set in motion measures aimed at increasing the institutional capacities, since this will be instrumental in ensuring the fulfilment of obligations assumed in the negotiations and the absorption of the EU financial assistance; points out that in the final stage of the EU accession negotiations there is a need for an open discussion between the political parties, interest groups, NGO's and public at large on the conditions of Lithuania's membership in the EU and the future of the EU; is convinced that in the Convention on the future of Europe, Lithuania's representatives should speak out in favour of: the principle of equality of rights of all Member States and accession candidate countries; the principles of subsidiarity, solidarity, transparency and proportionality; the community method guaranteeing for all Member States uniform rules of EU decision making; a more definite legal status of the Charter of Fundamental Rights; an increasing role of the European Parliament and national parliaments in the EU decision making process; a more transparent division of competence of the EU institutions, and ensure the consolidation of sovereignty of the State of Lithuania after Lithuania's accession to the multilingual and multicultural European Union. CHAIRMAN OF THE SEIMAS OF THE REPUBLIC OF LITHUANIA ARTŪRAS PAULAUSKAS