The European Commission appoints a new Head of Representation in Lithuania

Today, Marius Vaščega has been appointed as Head of the European Commission's Representation in Vilnius and will take office on 1 February 2022. In this function, he will act as the official representative of the European Commission in Lithuania under the political authority of President Ursula von der Leyen.

Mr Vaščega, a Lithuanian national, is equipped with a considerable amount of experience in European affairs, having worked for European institutions in various capacities since 2004. During this time, he has acquired a thorough knowledge of the key EU policy areas and he is well-versed in a range of areas, such as political representation and coordination, as well as strategic communication and outreach tasks, which will play a key role in his new function.

Since 2019, Marius Vaščega has been the Head of Cabinet of EU Commissioner Virginijus Sinkevičius responsible for Environment, Oceans and Fisheries, after successfully leading the transition team of the Commissioner-designate to prepare his entry into office. In this position, he has been in the lead on a number initiatives related to the European Green Deal initiatives, including in the fields of circular economy, biodiversity, reduction of pollution, sustainability of oceans and their resources.

Prior to this function, Marius Vaščega was the deputy Head of European Commission Representation in Lithuania and Head of its political section and economic adviser. Before joining the Commission as international relations officer in 2013, he worked both in the Council of the EU advising rotating Presidencies of the Council (2009-13), and in the European Parliament (2004-2008). Before Lithuania's accession to the EU, he had a private law practice and was a lecturer in the Faculty of Law of Vilnius University.

Background

The Commission maintains Representations in all capitals of EU Member States, and Regional Offices in Barcelona, Bonn, Marseille, Milan, Munich and Wroclaw. The Representations are the Commission's eyes, ears and voice on the ground in EU Member States. They interact with national authorities, stakeholders and citizens, and inform the media and the public about EU policies. Heads of Representations are appointed by the President of the European Commission and are her political representatives in the Member State to which they are posted.

For More Information:

European Commission's Representation in Vilnius