In 2003, the foremost foreign guests who paid an official visit to the Ministry of Economy were President Jorge Sampaio of Portugal ( 16 May 2003 ), President Georgi Parvanov of Bulgaria ( 13 June 2003 ), both accompanied by Lithuanian President Rolandas Paksas. The two foreign presidents came to Lithuania with a delegation of businessmen from their country. The visits were used as a opportunity to conduct Portuguese-Lithuanian and Bulgarian-Lithuanian business forums, during which the Lithuanian Minister of Economy, Petras Cesna, delivered speeches on the state of the Lithuanian economy. The Ministry of Economy supports business and is always willing to host such business events.

Mr Cesna also invited the Norwegian Minister of Trade and Industry, Ansgar Gabrielsen, who came to Lithuania accompanied by a delegation of businessmen from his country. The bilateral ministerial meeting discussed the prospects of economic and trade co-operation between Norway and Lithuania after Lithuania 's entry into the European Union. During the visit, a Norwegian-Lithuanian business forum was organised during which both ministers delivered speeches. Mr Gabrielsen highlighted during his visit to SIVA, a Norwegian company based in Panevezys which had moved its production to Lithuania , that he heard positive responses from the Norwegian businessmen about the great morale and competence of the Lithuanian workers. The Norwegian minister also had a meeting with Lithuanian Minister of Foreign Affairs Antanas Valionis.

At Mr Cesna's invitation, a business delegation of 32 persons led by His Excellency Dr Kantathi Suphamongkhon, a Thai trade representative, paid an official visit to Lithuania . The agenda developed by the Lithuanian Ministry included a meeting with President Paksas, Prime Minister Algirdas Brazauskas, State Secretary Alminas Maciulis of the Ministry of Transport, Vilnius mayor Arturas Zuokas. The Ministry of Economy hosted a Thai-Lithuanian business forum, during which Minister Cesna and Dr Kantathi delivered speeches on the prospects of Lithuania 's co-operation with Thailand in Southeastern Asian markets and on the prospects of Thailand using Lithuania as a gateway to the EU market. The Thai delegation went to Klaipeda to meet with the city authorities and businessmen and to visit the Klaipeda seaport and the city territory of the free economic zone.

Last year, Mr Cesna had official meetings in Lithuania with high-level EU officials: Mr Gvido Podesta, Vice-President of the European Parliament, Dr Gordon J. Adam, member of the European Parliament and Ms Loyola de Palacio, Vice-President of the European Commission.

Mr Cesna had also official meetings with Mr Lujanis, the Latvian Minister of Economy, Mr Meelis Atonen, the Estonian Minister of Economic Affairs and Communications, Mme Pave Župan Ruskovic, the Croatian Minister of Tourism, Mme Karen van Gennip , the Dutch Minister of Foreign Trade, Mr Georgij Poltavchenko, Representative Plenipotentiary of the President of the Russian Federation in the Central Federal County, Mr. Luigi Cabrini, Regional Representative for Europe of the World Tourism Organisation and many other guests who visited Lithuania and the Ministry of Economy in 2003.

Minister Cesna, the State Secretary of the Ministry and the undersecretaries had meetings with many ambassadors to Lithuania , ambassadors of Lithuania to other countries, an with other foreign delegations and guests.

Lithuania ( Vilnius ) and Ukraine hosted meetings of the Commission of the Lithuanian-Ukrainian intergovernmental trade and economic co-operation (the fifth one in Vilnius and the sixth one in Ukraine ). On behalf of Lithuania , the head of the Commission was Mr Cesna, and on behalf of Ukraine , the Commission was headed by the Ukrainian Minister of Transport, Mr Kirpa Georgij Nikolayevich. The Commission included State Secretary Gediminas Miškinis of the Lithuanian Ministry of the Economy, and other representatives of the Ministry along with public officials.

A meeting of the Lithuanian-Belarusian Commission of Intergovernmental Trade and Economic Co-operation took place in Minsk . On behalf of Lithuania , the Commission was headed by Vice-minister of Economy Nerijus Eidukevicius.

The delegations (which included businessmen) led by Minister Cesna and accompanied by State Secretary Miškinis paid return visits to Norway and Thailand . The meetings discussed the potential for further bilateral economic and trade co-operation. During these visits, business forums were organised. In Thailand , key meetings were held with Thai Minister of Foreign Affairs Surakiartu Sathirathai, Minister of Transport Suriya Jungrungreangkitu, Minister of Trade Watana and Dr Kantathi Suphamongkhon.

Minister Cesna took part in the European Council meetings on energy issues in Belgium ( Brussels ) and Greece . He was also a part of the Prime Minister's delegation to Kiev , Moscow and, together with the President's delegation, visited Riga . The minister along with his Undersecretary Anicetas Ignotas went to Poland to discuss issues of Lithuanian energy.

In Lietuva yra Tarptautines atomines energijos agenturos (TATENA) nare ir aktyviai dalyvauja jos veikloje. 2003 , within the framework of the technical co-operation programme of the IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency), Lithuania took part in 25 Europ ean regional and bei national projects. Information was regularly submitted information to IAEA databases and to publications of the IAEA and OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development).

On 18 December 2003 , the Lithuanian Parliament (Seimas) ratified the Joint Convention on the Safety of Spent Fuel Management and on the Safety of Radioactive Waste Management. On 3 October 2003 , the Governments of Latvia and Lithuania signed the Agreement in Vilnius On Early Notification of Nuclear Accidents, Exchange of Information and Co-operation in the Field of Nuclear Safety and Radiation Protection . On 28-29 October, while implementing the Agreement between the Lithuanian and Polish Governments, On Urgent Notification in Case of a Nuclear Accident and Cooperation in the Field of Nuclear Safety and Radiation Protection , the Lithuanian delegation led by Undersecretary Arturas Dainius had a meeting with the Polish delegation in Warsaw .