On May 20-22 the Lithuanian Free Market Institute, in co-operation with the Bertelsmann Foundation, the Swedish Embassy and the Institute of International Relations and Political Science, Vilnius University, held an international conference “European Integration: Economic and Security Implications for Central and Eastern Europe.” The primary goal of the conference was to discuss the main questions of EU membership negotiations with Central and Eastern European countries during Sweden’s presidency as well as the prospects of EU integration. Other objectives were to evaluate and present to society the implications of the ongoing integration processes and future membership in the EU on Lithuania and other acceding countries. Discussion focused on the impact of the EU enlargement on neighbouring countries, security issues and economic implications of EU membership, particularly in such areas as agriculture, the energy sector and external economic relations.

The conference drew about one hundred participants, including President of Lithuania Valdas Adamkus, Chairman of the Parliament of Lithuania Artūras Paulauskas, Lithuania’s Chief Negotiator for EU Accession Petras Auštrevičius, Ambassador of Sweden Jan Palmstierna, Head of the European Delegation to Lithuania Michael Graham, Chairman of Yabloko and Member of the State Duma of the Russian Federation Grigory Yavlinsky, representatives of the EU and acceding countries, policy analysts and scholars. The speakers included distinguished researchers working on EU integration issues and high-ranking government officials responsible for integration affairs from Central and Eastern European countries, representatives of international financial institutions, educational establishments and non-governmental organisations.

The Free Market presents a paper on impact assessment of EU membership on the Baltic States delivered to the conference by LFMI Policy Analyst Ramūnas Vilpišauskas.