PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

European Union

R.Švedas has experience in EU integration, EU legislation process and transposition of EU laws into national legislation. He took part in EU decision making process as well as in negotiations on Lithuania’s Free Trade Agreement with the EU (1993-1994), Lithuania’s Association membership in the EU (1995-1996) and Lithuania’s full membership in the EU, he was leading Lithuanian team on Negotiation Chapter No. 26 “External Relations” (1999-2001), was Deputy Permanent Representative of Lithuania to the EU, COREPER I in Brussels (2003-2007), member of Governmental EU Commission of Lithuania (2009-2011).

International Negotiations

International negotiations were accompanying R.Švedas over all his professional life. He is experienced in bilateral and multilateral negotiations. He took part in UN and other international organizations’ work, EU negotiations, in negotiations on international trade and international infrastructure projects. International trade negotiations: R.Švedas took part in negotiations on free trade and trade related matters Agreements of Lithuania with EFTA 7 then EFTA 4 countries, trilateral agreement between the Baltic States, with Central European and Balkan countries, as well as Bulgaria, Romania and Turkey (1992-2003), was member of negotiations team on Lithuania’s membership in WTO (1993-1999), was member of bilateral intergovernmental commissions of Lithuania with Belarus, China, Russia, Ukraine. EU negotiations: he took part in negotiations on free trade with EU, Lithuania’s association and full membership in the EU, also he was Deputy Permanent Representative of Lithuania to the EU (COREPER I) in Brussels (2003-2007). Cross border projects negotiations: R.Švedas took part in negotiations developing cross boarder energy and transport projects. In energy sector – electricity interconnections Lithuania-Sweden NordBalt and Lithuania-Poland LitPolLink (2009-2011), international new nuclear power plant project Visaginas NPP (2009-2011). In transport sector – Rail Baltica project (2003-2007 and from 2017).

International economic relations

R.Švedas experience makes the whole spectrum of international economic relations, i.e. international economic co-operation and international trade, export promotion and attraction of foreign investments, energy, transport, common EU market.

United Nations and other International Organizations

R.Švedas has a great experience of working with United Nations and other international organizations. Being posted at the Permanent Mission of the Republic of Lithuania to Geneva (1995-1999) he was responsible for the work with World Trade Organization (WTO), UN Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (UNHCHR), International Migration Organization (IMO), UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), where he was co-ordinator of the Baltic States and Central and Eastern European regional group (1998-1999). Being a Director of the Department of Economics at the MFA (1999-2003), R.Švedas was responsible for relations of Lithuania with all international economic organizations. During that period first steps were made towards Lithuania’s membership in the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). In 2014 R.Švedas became a member and from 2017 he was elected as a Chair of the Implementation Committee of the Espoo Convention of the UN Economic Commission for Europe.

Intercultural Communication

Intercultural communication skills of R.Švedas were developed because of 25 years’ work experience in bilateral and multilateral international relations, in United Nations and European Union systems, as well as diplomatic postings in Geneva (1995-1999) and Brussels (2003-2007). R.Švedas enhanced these skills by academic studies too.

Diplomacy

In 1993 R.Švedas became a member of the Lithuanian diplomatic service. During his work in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (1995-2009) R.Švedas was holding posts of Head of Division and Director of Department, also he member of the Collegium and of the Diplomatic Attestation Commission. Being posted in Geneva (1995-1999) besides his every-day diplomatic functions R.Švedas took part in organizing missions’ administration as well as moving mission into different premises. R.Švedas also was a Consul of Lithuania in Swiss Confederation (1996-1999). Posting in Brussels coincided with the start of Lithuania’s membership in the EU, therefore R.Švedas took part in transforming Lithuanian Permanent Mission into the Permanent Representation to the EU. R.Švedas has a diplomatic rank of Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Lithuania.

Energy

R.Švedas experience in energy sector is related with ensuring security of energy supply to Lithuania, development of the cross boarder energy project, representation on Lithuania on EU energy policy matters as well as transformation of the EU laws into national legislation. When the term of final shut down of Ignalina NPP was approaching Lithuanian Government established a special commission to ensure security of energy supply to Lithuania after 2009, where R.Švedas was appointed as a member, too (2008). Afterwards he was nominated to represent Lithuania in the EU High Level Working Group with the task to develop EU Baltic Energy Market Interconnection Plan (BEMIP) the main purpose of which was to end energy isolation of the Baltic States and their dependency on one external energy supplier. R.Švedas took part in drafting BEMIP and then in monitoring its implementation (2008-2011). Being a Vice minister of Energy R.Švedas was responsible for the electricity interconnection projects Lithuania-Sweden NordBalt and Lithuania-Poland LitPolLin and gas interconnection Lithuania-Poland GIPL, development of international new nuclear power plant project Visaginas NPP and LNG project “Independence”, decommissioning of Ignalina NPP. Also, he took part in transposing of EU laws into national legislation thus transforming Lithuanian electricity and gas sectors and dismantling vertically integrated monopoly of Gazprom in Lithuania. R.Švedas was chair of the Boards at AB Klaipėdos nafta, AB Litgrid, VĮ Ignalina NPP, and member of the Board at AB Lietuvos dujos, also an Alternate Member of the Administrative Board of Agency for the Cooperation of Energy Regulators.

Corporate Governance

R.Švedas has a considerable experience in corporate governance. Also, he enhanced his knowledge on this topic by completing trainings for board members and for the chairs of the boards at the Baltic Institute of Corporate Governance. R.Švedas was/is holding the following positions:
- VšĮ Lithuanian Development Agency, Supervisory Board, Member, (1999-2003);
- VĮ Iganlinos atominė elektrinė (Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant), Board, Chairman (2009-2011);
- AB Klaipėdos Nafta (Oil/LNG Terminal), Board, Chairman (2010-2011);
- AB Litgrid (Transmission System Operator), Board, Chairman (2010-2011);
- AB Lietuvos Dujos (Lithuanian Gas), Board, Member (2010-2011);
- AB LEO LT (Lithuanian Electricity Organization), Supervisory Board, Member, Chairman, Liquidator (2009-2011);
- AB Klaipėdos Nafta (Oil/LNG Terminal), Supervisory Board, Member (2013-2017);
- AB Lietuvos geležinkeliai (Lithuanian railways), Board, Chairman (from 2017);
- RBN Rail AS, (Rail Baltica project), Supervisory Board, Member (from 2018); - European Movement Lithuania, Board Member (from 2020).

Implementing change

R.Švedas took part in implementing change in the following organizations: AB Klaipėdos nafta (2010-2011), VĮ Ignalinos AE (2009-2011), AB Lietuvos dujos (2010-2011) and AB Lietuvos geležinkeliai (from 2017). The main objectives of the change were to make companies transparent, to prevent possible shortcomings, to raise efficiency and enhance reputation.