In 2009, Sinkevičius graduated from Salomėja Nėris Gymnasium of Vilnius, Lithuania, where he was born. He then pursued his undergraduate studies in Aberystwyth University from where he received a Bachelor of Economic and Social Studies degree in 2012.
In 2014, Sinkevičius worked as an international group project manager in Lietuvos paštas; in 2014–2015, he participated in the ‘Create Lithuania’ program. In 2015–2016, he was the project coordinator in the concession project of the Lithuanian Airports (LTOU). In 2016, he was a team leader of the Group for Improving the Investment Environment in Public Enterprise Invest Lithuania.
Political career
Career in national politics
In the 2016 parliamentary elections, Sinkevičius was elected to the Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania in the single-member as an independent candidate Šeškinė constituency in Vilnius; he was then appointed Chair of the Committee on Economic Affairs.
On 22 August 2019, the Lithuanian parliament approved Sinkevičius’ nomination for European commissioner;[3] the nomination was agreed upon by Prime Minister Skvernelis and Ramūnas Karbauskis, the leader of the Lithuanian Farmers and Greens Union (LVŽS).[4]
Upon taking office, Sinkevičius became the youngest-ever European Commissioner, at the age of 28.[5]
In 2022, Sinkevičius proposed legally binding targets to halve the use of chemical pesticides and restore nature across the EU to at least 20% of EU land by 2030, in an attempt to better protect health and recover plunging wildlife populations.[6]
Member of the European Parliament, 2024–present
In the 2024 European Parliament election, Sinkevičius was elected to the European Parliament. In order to fulfill his mandate, he resigned from his position as EU Commissioner on 16 July 2024. His duties as Commissioner was temporarily taken over by Executive Vice-President Maroš Šefčovič.[7]
Sinkevičius ran in the 2024 Lithuanian parliamentary election as a member of Saulius Skvernelis's party Union of Democrats "For Lithuania" (DSVL), winning a Seimas seat in the multi-member constituency through his position in the party list.[9] However, before the first meeting of the Fourteenth Seimas, Sinkevičius resigned his seat, opting to remain in Brussels.[10] He attributed his decision to "differing visions" of the ruling coalition, referring to the decision of the Social Democrats and DSVL to ally with the controversial Dawn of Nemunas party, whose leader had been investigated for antisemitism. By contrast, Skvernelis claimed that Sinkevičius gave up his seat because the Foreign Minister position had not been assigned to DSVL.[10]Rūta Miliūtė, the next candidate in the DSVL party list, took over his seat.[11][12]
Recognition
In 2018, Sinkevičius was awarded for The Best Solution for Better Business Environment of the Year by the association Investors’ Forum, and Blockchain Leadership at #SWITCH! Tech Awards. In 2019, he received the Partnership Leader 2018 award for innovation reform and development of startup ecosystem from the organisation Lithuanian Business Confederation. In 2018, Sinkevičius was included in the list of 100 World’s Most Influential Young People in Government by the website Apolitical.[2]
^ ab"Virginijus Sinkevičius". Lietuvos Respublikos ekonomikos ir inovacijų ministerija (in Lithuanian). Archived from the original on 16 September 2019.
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