Lithuanian Diplomat to Lead an Important WTO Committee
On 11 May 2017, Ms. Ieva Baršauskaitė, a diplomat of the Permanent Mission of the Republic of Lithuania to the United Nations Office and other International Organisations was approved as a new chair of the Subsidies and Countervailing Measures Committee of the World Trade Organisation, WTO. This decision was endorsed by all 164 WTO members.
WTO rules provide the procedures and disciplines, according to which the government has the right to provide support to local industry. It also allows to apply counter-measures if subsidized exports distort competition and fair trading conditions. WTO’s Committee on Subsidies and Countervailing Measures supervises the implementation of these rules.
Lithuanian diplomat will act as a chairperson of the Committee for one year. This is the second time since the beginning of Lithuania's membership in the WTO, when the chairmanship of this important Committee was entrusted for the Lithuanian Representative. Lithuania has been a member of WTO since 31 May 2001.
