Agriculture, EU – Baltic States, Financial Services, Good for Business, Lithuania, Markets and Companies

The EC announced on Friday proposals to allocate 5.141 billion euros, based on the current prices and inflation taken into consideration, to Lithuania's agriculture sector and rural areas in 2021–2027, up 1.4% from 5.071 billion euros in 2014–2020.

Brussels proposes cutting support for Lithuania's rural development program 15.3% to 1.366 billion euros. Meanwhile, the share of direct payments would grow 11.1% to 3.771 billion euros.

Lithuanian Prime Minister Saulius Skvernelis has welcomed the European Commission's proposal to increase support for Lithuania's agriculture 1.4% in the European Union's new multiannual budget.

He added, however, that Lithuania would seek equal direct payment to farmers.

"The European Commission plans to increase direct payment to five countries, including Lithuania. We welcome that news but our goal is for those payments to be made equal with the old ES member states. We don’t have that yet but we'll seek that. We'll speak abut it with the European Commission president next week," Skvernelis told BNS Lithuania on Friday.

The Lithuanian prime minister is also concerned with the plans to cut support for rural areas.

"We are also concerned with the general cut in agriculture support as the investment support is going down. It will be cut for Lithuania as well," the prime minister said.