On November 24th the 8th joint Lithuanian – Flanders committee meeting was held in Brussels, during which the Ministry of Foreign Affairs European Director Vidmantas Purlys and the Flemish Department of Foreign Affairs Secretary General Koen Verlaeckt signed a new bilateral cooperation program for 2016-2018.

This program will allow both sides to strenghten their cooperation in economy, education, science and innovation, transport and other fields.

The program also foresees that Lithuania and Flanders will encourage the development of economic relations, with this purpose Flanders will open Flanders trade and investment representation for the Baltic States.

In 2014 Lithuanian and Belgian trade turnover increased by 9 % and it has reached almost 1.3 billion EUR, of which about 80 % consists of trade relations with Flanders.

One of the specific Lithuanian and Flemish cooperation projects is related to cooperation in the field of life sciences. Flemish scientists and companies working in this area are invited to participate in the Life Science Baltics conference which will be held in Lithuania in September 2016.

Lithuanian and Flemish cooperation agreement was signed in 1996. The program is being updated every 2-3 years, on the basis of signed agreement. The program is being implemented by the ministries of Lithuania and other government institutions.

Read the Flemish Foreign Affairs Departments' press release here: http://www.vlaanderen.be/int/en/news/7th-joint-commission-flanders-lithuania-brussels