EU: Convergence programme Lithuania

Stability programmes for eurozone countries on the one hand, convergence programmes for member states still without the euro; you can start by reading the background remarks on economic policy coordination in the European Union, in the blog post EU: Useful stability and convergence programmes? (3 June 2010).



You can then move on to the EU Council opinion on the convergence programme of Lithuania, published in the Official Journal of the European Union (OJEU):



COUNCIL OPINION on the updated convergence programme of Lithuania, 2009-2012; OJEU 2.6.2010 C 143/6



Economic background


On 26 April 2010 the EU Council examined the updated convergence programme of Lithuania, which covers the period 2009 to 2012. The Council began its assessment of this non-euro state by presenting a brief description of the economic situation:

Lithuania is emerging from one of the strongest recessions in the EU. Several years of rapid and increasingly unsustainable growth, mainly driven by domestic demand and a real estate boom, came to a halt in 2008 when the bursting of the domestic bubble was reinforced by the impact of the global financial crisis reducing external demand and sharply tightening access to credit. The sharp decline in domestic demand and the opening up of spare capacity helped narrow existing imbalances, reducing inflation and eliminating the external deficit, largely through a collapse in imports.

The current account balance, substantially negative in the boom years and financed by capital imports associated with the banking sector, leading to a rapid increase in net external liabilities, in 2009 reached an estimated surplus of 3.1 % of GDP. The sharp decline in government revenues resulting from the economic contraction, together with the consequences of an expansionary fiscal policy before the parliamentary elections in 2008, nevertheless left Lithuania facing significant fiscal challenges. A strong policy response was put in place by the government by pursuing fiscal consolidation to contain the deterioration in public finances and to limit debt accumulation, thereby inter alia supporting the credibility of the currency board arrangement. Given the wide internal and external imbalances accumulated during the boom years and the difficulty of securing new international financing once the global financial crisis set in, this was a prudent response in line with the European Economic Recovery Plan (EERP). Nevertheless, Lithuania was made subject to an EDP [excessive deficit procedure] procedure, with the Council deciding on 7 July 2009 that an excessive deficit existed. Revised Council recommendations (Article 126(7), issued on 16 February 2010), called for correcting the excessive deficit by 2012. Ambitious fiscal consolidation is thus needed (an average fiscal effort of 2.25 % of GDP per annum), underpinned by structural reforms. So as to provide some support to the ailing economy, Lithuania has increased and frontloaded the absorption of EU structural funds. Throughout the crisis the economy has proved a high degree of flexibility as a significant adjustment has occurred via decreases in prices and wages. Large increases in unemployment, which could become structural, nevertheless pose major risks to long-term convergence. With a view to restoring positive and sustainable growth and avoiding any relapse into unsustainable internal and external imbalances, the main economic challenges relate to ensuring that wage developments are in line with productivity, improving competitiveness and promoting sectoral transformation towards tradable sectors as well as encouraging further reorien- tation towards medium- and high-tech products. A major adjustment of public finances to the expected lower growth in the coming years has already been initiated, but further progress remains to be secured in the medium term.

Council recommendation

After a detailed discussion, and in the light of the recommendation under Article 126 TFEU of 16 February 2010, as well as given the need to ensure sustainable convergence and a smooth participation in ERM II, the Council of the European Union invited Lithuania to:

(i) consider additional corrective measures in 2010 if necessary to achieve the envisaged consolidation, in addition to implementing rigorously those planned in the budget;

(ii) specify the necessary measures to underpin fully the required adjustment over the programme period recommended by the Council under Article 126(7), and stand ready to adopt further consolidation measures in case risks related to the fact that the macroeconomic scenario of the programme is more favourable than the scenario underpinning the Article 126(7) Recommendation materialise;

(iii) implement planned social security system reforms, including pension reform, so as to reduce the high risks to long-term sustainability of public finances due to significant projected increases of pension expenditure during the coming decades;

(iv) strengthen fiscal governance and transparency, by enhancing the medium-term budgetary framework and improving reporting of budgetary data, ensuring comparability of the budgetary indicators on cash and accrual bases.

Convergence reports 2010


For a wider view and comparison between nine EU member states still outside the euro area, you can study the convergence reports published by the European Central Bank and the European Commission:



European Central Bank: Convergence Report May 2010 (273 pages)



European Commission: Convergence Report 2010 (Prepared in accordance with Article 140(1) of the Treaty); Brussels, 12.5.2010 COM(2010) 238 final (30 pages)



Commission staff working document accompanying the Convergence Report 2010; Brussels, 12.5.2010 SEC(2010) 598 final (197 pages)




Ralf Grahn