Distributing a product

Market shares

Retail trade is traditionally the first distribution channel in Lithuania ; historically people used to shop in small retail outlets and open air markets. With the independence and European Union membership, foreign companies seek to install in Lithuania and develop bigger shopping centres and brand names.

Organizations in the retail sector

Association of Lithuanian Trade enterprises

We can identify professional tradeshows on your sector.

Market access procedures

International Conventions

Member of World Trade Organisation
Party to the Kyoto protocol
Party to the Washington convention on International trade in endangered species of wild fauna and flora
Party to the Basel convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their disposal
Party to the Montreal protocol on Substances that deplete the Ozone Layer
Wassenaar arrangement on export controls for conventional arms and dual-use goods and technologies
Party of the International coffee agreement 2001

International economic cooperation

Lithuania is member of the European Union since 2004 and has close ties with nearby Baltic and Eastern European countries. It is well integrated in the international trade system and is party to a number of agreements.

Non tariff barriers

In accordance with its European Union membership since May, 1st of 2004, Lithuania applies the European Union trade policy such as antidumping or anti-subsidy measures. The European Union import regime applies to Lithuania. If Lithuania has adopted the main part of EU regulations on May, 1st of 2004, a transitory period has been granted to the country regarding some EU rules like freedom of movement for workers or cabotage inside some countries.
While the European Union has a rather liberal foreign trade policy, some products need import licenses. There are some restrictions, especially on farm products, following the implementation of the CAP (Common Agricultural Policy): the application of compensations on the import and export of farm products, aimed at favouring the development of agriculture within the EU, implies a certain number of control and regulation systems for the goods entering the EU territory.
When being introduced in Lithuania, some products (mainly those having a link with safety) must be "CE" marked in respect to the European Directives adopted on the basis of the New Approach and the Global Approach.

Customs duties and taxes on imports

Since 2000, the "Most favored nation treatment customs duty act" came into force. According to this Act, goods originating from third (non-EU) countries are subject to customs duties. For more information about rates, please consult the Estonian Master Tariff system at: vaarikaas.

Customs classification

The duties for non-European countries are relatively low, especially for manufactured goods (4.2% on average for the general rate), however textile, clothing items (high duties and quota system) and food-processing industry sectors (average duties of a 17.3% and numerous tariff quotas, PAC) still know protective measures.

In order to get exhaustive regulations and customs tariffs rates regarding their products, exporters shall refer to the TARIC code and its database, which includes all applicable customs duties and all customs trade policy measures for all the goods.

Import procedures

Since its accession to the European Union on May, 1st of 2004, Lithuania has adopted the EU Common External Tariff. Consequently, trade with Lithuania is totally free from customs duties, provided that the country of origin of the goods is one of the other 27 EU Member States. Nevertheless, when introducing goods into Lithuania, exporters shall fill in an intrastat declaration.
When the country of origin of the goods exported to Lithuania is not part of the European Union, customs duties are calculated Ad valorem on the CIF value of the goods, in accordance with the Common Customs Tariff (CCT).Since its accession to the European Union on May, 1st of 2004, Lithuania has adopted the EU Common External Tariff. Consequently, trade with Lithuania is totally free from customs duties, provided that the country of origin of the goods is one of the other 27 EU Member States. Nevertheless, when introducing goods into Lithuania, exporters shall fill in an intrastat declaration.
When the country of origin of the goods exported to Lithuania is not part of the European Union, customs duties are calculated Ad valorem on the CIF value of the goods, in accordance with the Common Customs Tariff (CCT).

As part of the "SAFE" standards advocated by the World Customs Organization (WCO), the European Union has set up a new system of import controls, the "Import Control System" (ICS), which aims to secure the flow of goods at the time of their entry into the customs territory of the EU. This control system, part of the Community Program eCustomer, has been in effect since January 1, 2011. Since then, operators are required to pass an Entry Summary Declaration (ENS) to the customs of the country of entry, prior to the introduction of goods into the customs territory of the European Union.

Importing samples

Goods transiting Lithuania are not subject to duties. It is possible to obtain a  temporary duty exemption for items such as commercial samples and for goods intended for public displays at exhibitions or trade fairs.

For further information

Lithuanian Customs

We can indicate you which are the customs duties applied to your product.

Find out the local taxes that apply to your product.

Organizing goods transport

Main useful means of transport

Lithuania has the best roads of the region. Transport of goods by road is efficient and can be done in all directions. The EU recognized Lithuania as a prime transport center in the region and the EU's transportation Commission designated the two routes running through Lithuania, the North-South highway and the rail route connecting Scandinavia with Central Europe as well as the East-West route linking the huge Eastern markets with the rest of Europe as being the ten most important in Europe.

Ports

Klaipeda's port
Ferries serving several internal cities

Airports

Vilnius International Airport
Palanga Internatinal Airport (small regional airport situated in the west part of the country)
Kaunas Airport

Sea transport organizations

Ministry of Transport

Air transport organizations

Ministry of Transport
Civil Aviation Admnistration

Road transport organizations

Ministry of transport

Rail transport organizations

Ministry of Transport
Lithuanian railways

Get a ballpark figure for transportation costs for your product in this country through a shipping estimate.

Identifying a supplier

Type of production

Competitive sectors of the industry include: IT (the market is growing faster than the European average and is quite attractive ; it received 15% of all the FDI in the country), Biotech, lasers (important know-how and production), machinery and electrical equipment, metal processing and transport, plastics, furniture, wood processing and paper industry, textile and apparel.
All those industries are among the most attractive of the country and foreign investment is developed in those areas.

 

Business directories

Lithuanian Business Directory

Manufacturers associations of the main industries

Lithuanian Apparel and Textile Industry Association

Trade Agencies and their representations abroad

Association of Lithuanian Chambers of Commerce, Industry and Crafts (in Lithuanian)

Enterprises federation

Lithuanian Confederation of Industrialists

Standards

National standards organizations

Lithuanian Standards Board

Integration in the international standards network

LST as a national standards body follows international and European standartization principles in its activities and represents the Republic of Lithuania within International Organization for Standardization (ISO), International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), European Committee for Standardization (CEN), European Committee for Electrotechnical Standardization (CENELEC) and European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI). Additional national requirements can be added to EU standards.

Classification of standards

Information about standardization in Lithuania can be obtained at the Lithuanian Standards Board website. Lithuanian standards are those which exist in all European Union member countries, one of the most known being the "CE" marking.

Online consultation of standards

More information about national standards can be obtained at: Lsd.

Certification organizations

Lithuanian Standards Board

Find out the standards and labelling requirements that apply to your products.

Intellectual Property

National organizations

The State Patent Bureau is in charge of regulations around intellectual property in Lithuania.

Regional organizations

Lithuania is party to a number of major international treaties and agreements on intellectual property protection.