The role of the customs authorities changes upon the implementation in the European Union (further – EU) of the principle of the free movement of goods, the reduction of barriers to international trade and investments, the increase of the need to ensure safety and security on the external borders of the European Union.
The application of the non-tariff foreign trade regulation measures (trade policy measures) becomes more and more significant. The said measures include prohibitions, restrictions and special requirements for goods brought into the EU customs territory, justified on grounds of public morality, public order or public security, the protection of health and life of humans, animals and environment, the protection of national treasures possessing artistic, historic or archaeological value, the conservation of fisheries resources, the protection of economic interests, etc.
The requirements of product safety and security etc., related to the above listed conditions, are prescribed by international agreements, the EU and national legal acts defining the concrete requirements for the supply to the market (release for free circulation), export and, in some cases, transit of certain goods (e.g. foodstuffs, chemical materials, waste, cultural values, dual-use goods, narcotic and psychotropic substances and other precursors, fishery products, etc.) or for other customs procedures. The importance of the application of these measures is also emphasized in the Modernized Customs Code, wherein the mission of the customs authorities has been defined not only as the protection of the financial interests of the EU and its member states, the promotion of legal trade, but also as the ensuring of the safety and security of the EU and its citizens, environmental protection. It should be noted that, upon Lithuania’s accession to the European Union, the EU legal acts are applied in Lithuania directly or their provisions are transposed into the national legal acts.
The methods of the non-tariff foreign trade regulation, defined in the EU legal acts, are mostly related to certain additional or specific requirements e.g. the presentation of a license or a permit, a certificate or a declaration of compliance, as well as the presentation of a proof of compliance with certain conditions, etc.
On implementing the non-tariff foreign trade regulation measures, veterinary, phytosanitary, product quality and safety controls as well as other types of controls are applied alongside with customs controls. Therefore, one of the preconditions of the efficiency of the application of the non-tariff foreign trade regulation measures is the improvement of co-operation between the customs and other control institutions. This co-operation becomes more and more important on implementing the principles of “single window” and “one-stop shop” (when all actions related to goods are performed in one place).
The list of EU legislation on import/export prohibitions and restrictions
The main task of risk management is to prevent, by eliminating consistently and complexly the reasons of violations and by using rationally financial, material and human resources, the violations of customs legislation (smuggling in particular), to ensure the enforcement of the customs legislation and trade security by simplifying international trade procedures upon reducing at the maximum the number of controls.
Following the requirements of Regulation (EC) No. 648/2005 of the European Parliament and of the Council amending the Community Customs Code:
- customs controls are based on risk analysis using automated data processing techniques. The risks are assessed on the basis of criteria developed at national, Community and international level (CCC Article 13(2));
- the summary declaration containing obligatory the particulars necessary for risk analysis, primarily for security and safety purposes, is lodged electronically in advance at the customs office of entry (CCC Article 36).
Following the requirements of Commission Regulation (EC) 1875/2006 laying down provisions for the implementation of Community Customs Code:
- before the admission of goods, a customs office of entry performs risk assessment on the basis of the submitted declaration, first of all – for safety and security purposes (S/S);
- the customs authorities complete the risk analysis prior to the arrival of the goods, provided that the relevant deadline set out in Article 184a is met;
- upon assessing the results of the risk analysis, the first customs office of entry:
1. notifies the person who lodged the entry summary declaration for goods carried by sea traffic that the goods are not to be loaded (when S/S risk is high);
2. decides to examine the goods or informs the subsequent office of entry that the goods must be examined (when S/S risk is high or medium);
3. decides not to examine the goods (when there is no risk).
According to the provisions of the Convention establishing the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO), the intellectual property includes the rights relating to literary, artistic and scientific works, performances of performing artists, phonograms and broadcasts, inventions in all fields of human endeavour, scientific discoveries, industrial designs, trademarks, service marks, commercial names and designations, and all other rights resulting from intellectual activity.
The suitable legal protection of the intellectual property as well as its implementation is a necessary condition for promoting the processes of creating the intellectual property.
The Regulation (EU) No. 608/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 12 June 2013, concerning customs enforcement of intellectual property rights and repealing Council Regulation (EC) No. 1383/2003, effective since 1 January 2014, has created the basis for the protection of wider intellectual property rights by customs action. I.e. this protection has been started to be applied not only for the protection of the intellectual property of the holders of a trademark, design right, patent, copyright or related rights, but also for the protection of designations of origin or geographical indications, topographies of semiconductor products, trade names, a national plant variety right and a supplementary protection certificate of the kind.
One of the main objectives of the Lithuanian Customs in the fight against the infringements of certain intellectual property rights is to draw the attention of the public to and explain to users and trade representatives what harm is made by such infringements not only to right-holders, but to the state budget, honest trade and users, how the demand of counterfeits encourages their production, to note that the most part of finances received from illegal production is intended for supporting organised crime.
With a view to making the fight against the manufacturers of the illegal production more efficient, the Lithuanian Customs co-operates with the EU states` customs administrations, international organisations, Lithuanian enforcement institutions, intellectual property right-holders and their representatives.
On introducing goods from third countries, the Customs authorities are entitled to detain them until it is established whether the suspicious goods are indeed counterfeits, pirated goods or goods infringing intellectual property rights.
Cash Declaration Procedure in the Republic of Lithuania
General Information
The obligation to declare cash on entering or leaving the European Union (hereinafter - EU) is part of the EU’s strategy to prevent money laundering and to fight terrorism financing.
Following the entry into force of Regulation (EU) 2018/1672 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 October 2018 on controls on cash entering or leaving the Union and repealing Regulation (EC) No 1889/2005 (hereinafter – Cash Control Regulation) on 3 June 2021 more stringent measures in cash control will be applied.
According to Article 2 (Definitions) of the Cash Control Regulation, cash is defined as:
Cash declaration procedure on entering from or leaving to a third country
Any person who is either entering the Republic of Lithuania from a third country, or is travelling from the Republic of Lithuania to a third country and carrying cash of a value of EUR 10 000 or more (or the equivalent of that sum in other currency) is required to declare that sum on the Cash Declaration Form at the customs office operating in the state border control point through which a person is entering or leaving the Republic of Lithuania. In this case a person is obliged to submit the Cash Declaration Form without being asked to do so by the customs officer.
New Cash Declaration Forms are approved in Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/776 of 11 May 2021 establishing templates for certain forms as well as technical rules for the effective exchange of information under Regulation (EU) 2018/1672 of the European Parliament and of the Council on controls on cash entering or leaving the Union.
Cash can be declared in Lithuanian or English by using the printed version of the Cash Declaration Form in the same language that can be obtained in the customs office.
If there is more than one owner or more than one intended recipient of the cash or if all relevant information on cash that you are carrying does not fit within the space provided in the box “Details of the cash”, please provide the relevant information in the additional sheet of the Cash Declaration.
Unaccompanied cash
As regards movements of unaccompanied cash, for example, cash entering or leaving the EU in postal packages, courier shipments, unaccompanied luggage or containerised cargo, the customs authorities have the power to require the Cash Disclosure Declaration. Depending on circumstances, this type of declaration upon request of the customs authorities should be submitted by the sender, the recipient or a representative thereof of the unaccompanied cash. The Cash Disclosure Declaration has to be made within a deadline of 30 days.
If there is more than one owner or more than one intended recipient of the unaccompanied cash or if all relevant information on the unaccompanied cash does not fit within the space provided in the box “Details of the cash”, please provide the relevant information in the additional sheet of the Cash Disclosure Declaration.
Completing and submission of the Cash Declaration Form
The obligation to declare cash applies to the person carrying the cash. It is not relevant who is the owner of the cash (the person carrying the cash, any other natural or legal person).
For example: A group of travellers (e.g., a father, a mother and 2 children) enters the Republic of Lithuania from the third country. The father carries EUR 30 000 in cash with him in his luggage. The money belongs to all family members. However, the father has to submit the Cash Declaration Form for the amount of EUR 30 000 since he is the one carrying the whole amount.
The Cash Declaration Form may be completed in Lithuanian or English by using the printed version of the Cash Declaration Form in the same language available at the customs offices or online via Passenger Portal. The Cash Declaration Form has to be completed following the requirements set by the Director General of the Customs Department under the Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Lithuania.
Additional Information
Please note that:
In addition to submission of new Cash Declaration Form, while entering to/from a third country and travelling to/from EU Member States, it is required to submit copies of documents proving the origin of cash. Depending on the economic origin of cash such documents may include the following:
If the person is entering the Republic of Lithuania by plane, the Cash Declaration Form has to be submitted to the customs office operating in the state border control point in the red channel area (the person must not use the green channel).
A person travelling by rail transport can obtain the Cash Declaration Form from the customs officer(s) performing customs control onboard the train. The completed and signed Cash Declaration Form must be submitted to the same customs officer(s).
A person who is either entering the Republic of Lithuania from other EU Member State, or is travelling from the Republic of Lithuania to other EU Member State is required to submit the completed and signed Cash Declaration Form to the customs officers performing customs control (for example, an officer of the customs office operating in the state border control point at airport or seaport, customs mobile group officer, etc.).
A customs officer may require to declare the cash of the value below EUR 10 000 if it is suspected that there are indications of illegal activities related to money laundering, terrorism financing or other violations of law.
In case of doubt as to whether or not the sum of a value of EUR 10 000 or more in other means of payment the person is carrying is subject to cash declaration (according to the definition of cash), the person is obliged to enquire at the customs office operating in the state border control point.
Upon the movement of cash in currency(ies) other than euro, the total sum of cash is determined by conversion in euro at the official exchange rate of the euro and the other currency(ies) established by the Bank of Lithuania on that day (the day when the cash is carried). The amount of EUR 10 000 being carried, from which the cash has to be declared, is calculated on the basis of all cash calculated together and not the value of the individual currencies.
It is recommended that the person travelling by air or sea transport and carrying cash of a value of EUR 10 000 or more would allow sufficient time to submit the Cash Declaration Form.
Customs offices can be found following the signs in the airports and seaports.
If the person is carrying cash of a value of EUR 10 000 or more in the hold baggage, the cash must be declared before checking in the hold baggage.
The customs officer who accepted the completed and signed Cash Declaration Form performs the customs clearance: verifies the data provided in the Cash Declaration Form and physically checks the cash. If the information provided in the Cash Declaration Form is correct, accurate and complete and there are no indications of money laundering or terrorism financing, the second page of the accepted Cash Declaration Form is returned to the person, who can continue the journey with declared cash.
In the event of false, inaccurate or incomplete information on the Cash Declaration Form or in case of failure to declare the cash that must be declared, it is considered that the person carrying cash failed to fulfil the obligation to declare. Customs officers performing cash controls have the right to impose penalties and to detain the cash under the relevant articles of the Code of Administrative Offences of the Republic of Lithuania and the Criminal Code of the Republic of Lithuania.
Completing and submission a Cash Declaration Form upon arrival to the Republic of Lithuania from a third country (pursuant to provisions of Regulation (EU) 2018/1672 of the European Parliament and of the Council) does not release a person from the obligation to declare cash while travelling to other EU Member States (pursuant to national laws of some EU Member States on cash controls on intra-EU travel).
For example: A passenger traveling from the Russian Federation and carrying EUR 15 000 in cash arrives at Vilnius airport. According to the provisions of Regulation (EU) 2018/1672 of the European Parliament and of the Council he submits a completed and signed Cash Declaration Form in Vilnius Airport Customs Post. The passenger then travels by car to Poland. When leaving Lithuania to Poland, officers of customs mobile group may ask the passenger to declare EUR 15 000 in cash once again.
Legal Regulation
The obligation of natural persons to declare cash is laid down in:
Law of the Republic of Lithuania on the Prevention of Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing
The term „cultural property“ means property which, on religious or secular grounds, is specifically designated by each State as being of importance for archaeology, prehistory, history, literature, art or science and which belongs to the following categories:
rare collections and specimens of fauna, flora, minerals and anatomy, and objects of paleontological interest:
• property relating to history, including the history of science and technology and military and social history, to the life of national leaders, thinkers, scientists and artist and to events of national importance;
• products of archaeological excavations (including regular and clandestine)
or of archaeological discoveries ;
• elements of artistic or historical monuments or archaeological sites which have been dismembered;
• antiquities more than one hundred years old, such as inscriptions, coins and engraved seals;
• objects of ethnological interest;
• property of artistic interest;
• rare manuscripts and incunabula, old books, documents and publications of special interest (historical, artistic, scientific, literary, etc.) singly or in collections ;
• postage, revenue and similar stamps, singly or in collections;
• archives, including sound, photographic and cinematographic archives;
• articles of furniture more than one hundred years old and old musical instruments.
The export of movable cultural property and antiques from the Republic of Lithuania, the procedure for issuing an application for their export, and the List of movable cultural property and antiques the export whereof from the Republic of Lithuania requires a permit issued by the Department of cultural Heritage Protection is regulated by Resolution No. 1424 of 9 November 2004 of the Government of the Republic of Lithuania.
On import of cultural heritage
Cultural heritage constitutes one of the basic elements of civilisation having symbolic value and embodying the cultural memory of humankind. It enriches the cultural life of all peoples and unites them through shared memory, knowledge and development of civilisation. It should therefore be protected from unlawful appropriation and pillage. Pillaging of archaeological sites has always happened, but has now reached an industrial scale and, together with trade in illegally excavated cultural goods, is treated as a serious crime against the culture of civilisations.
As long as it is possible to engage on the international market in lucrative trade in illegally excavated cultural goods and to profit therefrom without any notable risk of being disclosed, such excavations and pillaging will continue.
In order to prohibit the introduction into the customs territory of the Union of cultural goods unlawfully exported from third countries, with particular emphasis on heritage from third countries affected by armed conflict, the EU has first taken measures to ensure that certain cultural goods are subject to uniform controls upon their entry into the customs territory of the Union.
This Regulation shall apply from the date of its entry into force.
Note: notwithstanding paragraph 1: a) Article 3(1) shall apply from 28 December 2020; b) Article 3(2) to (5), (7) and (8), Article 4(1) to (10), Article 5(1) and (2), and Article 8(1) shall apply from the date on which the electronic system referred to in Article 8 becomes operational, or on 28 June 2025 at the latest. The Commission shall publish the date on which the conditions of this paragraph are fulfilled in the C series of the Official Journal of the European Union. This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States.
Referring to the Law on the Control of Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances and the Law on the Control of Precursors of Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances, narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances mean biological and synthetic substances included in the schedules of controlled substances approved by the Ministry of Health, the harmful effects or abuse whereof give rise to serious deterioration of human health resulting in mental and physical dependence on them, or pose threat to human health.
Narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances are classified according to their harmful effect upon human health, when they are being abused, and according to whether they can be used for health care purposes. The schedules of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances has been approved by the Order No. 5 of 6 January 2000 of the Minister of Health of the Republic of Lithuania regarding the approval of the List of narcotic and psychotropic substances.
The illegal turnover of drugs is one of the activities posing the greatest threat to public security. Narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances are allowed to be carried only for personal consumption for health care purpose, and only if they have a special certificate. This is laid down in the Order of 2 March 2007 of the Minister of Health of the Republic of Lithuania on approval of the procedure for issue of certificate for conveyance of narcotic drugs and (or) psychotropic substances for personal medical use, and in the Order No. V-975 of 23 November 2006 of the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Lithuania concerning the import into and export from the Republic of Lithuania, reception or sending by mail of pharmaceuticals for natural person’s individual purposes.
The main tasks of the customs authorities in the area of drug control are the following: to reduce the supply of narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances and their precursors with the help of analysts, examination and physical control equipment.
More information:
Import and export of wild animals according to the requirements of the CITES convention
On 22 May 2001, the Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania adopted the Law concerning the ratification of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) (Official Gazette, 2001, No. 50-1741). This Convention came into force in the Republic of Lithuania on 9 March 2002.
After Lithuania became member of the EU, the rules for trade in wild animals regulating bringing into and taking out of the Republic of Lithuania animals, parts thereof or articles made of them were changed.
The rules were prepared following the requirements of the CITES Convention, provisions of Council Regulation (EC) No 338/97 of 9 December 1996 on the protection of species of wild fauna and flora by regulating trade therein and Commission Regulation (EC) No 1808/2001 of 30 August 2001 laying down detailed rules concerning the implementation of the protection of species of wild fauna and flora by regulating trade therein.
The procedure set by the above-mentioned regulations is to be followed and the licenses, certificates and other documents as specified in these Regulations are required on bringing in (taking out) animals, parts thereof or articles made of them. An individual license issued by the Ministry of Environment of the Republic of Lithuania must be presented for each consignment of animals, parts thereof or articles made of them.
On bringing of animals, parts thereof and products made of them into/from Lithuania to the third countries, the accomplishment of customs formalities is allowed only upon presenting the required licenses.
Since customs officers cannot accomplish the formalities of customs procedure with respect to animals being carried before the necessary documents (licenses) are presented, it is recommended to apply for import, export licenses and re-export certificates sufficiently in advance, so that they could be issued before bringing the specimens into the European Union and before taking them out or re-exporting from the Community. The Ministry of Environment (www.am.lt) provides information related to the issue of the above-mentioned licenses and certificates.
Import/export licenses or re-export certificates are not required on importing/exporting or re-exporting:
In the cases when animals, parts thereof and articles made of them are brought in (taken out) by violating the requirements of CITES Convention and Regulations, they may be detained, returned to the country from which they were brought or confiscated.
Rules and recommendations for travelling with pet animals are laid down and regulated by the State Food and Veterinary Service of the Republic of Lithuania.
Requirements for persons travelling with pet animals are available in Regulation (EU) No 576/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 12 June 2013 on the non-commercial movement of pet animals and repealing Regulation (EC) No 998/2003.
The main documents required for travelling pets are a Pet passport and a veterinary entry document for animals. More information about travelling with pets.
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How to declare animals coming to Lithuania from third countries
Any person bringing pet animals (dogs, cats, ferrets, birds, etc.) through the border customs posts of the Republic of Lithuania has to submit to customs officers a pet passport issued by the member state of the European Union (hereinafter – EU) or a certificate of a third country`s veterinary service and a document proving that the person is the owner of the pet animal (hereinafter – documents).
These documents must be accompanied by:
1. "Traveller`s Declaration", when:
- the animal(s) pet(s) being brought is/are obviously owned by the person;
- the animal(s) pet(s) is/are being brought for commercial purposes (e.g. intended for sale at an exhibition, an event, the pet being brought is purchased by an EU individual).
The “Traveller`s Declaration” is to be completed by the pet carrier (transporter) at the border customs post and is to be submitted to the customs authorities. This declaration may also be submitted to the customs authorities by completing it on the “Trader`s portal.”
2. When a pet animal is being brought to Lithuania temporarily, a completed "Document supplementing the Oral Customs Declaration" (hereinafter – "the document") must be submitted to the customs authorities. This document (document form in Lithuanian, English) is to be completed in two copies, whose copy 1 is the "Original" intended for the customs office of clearance, and copy 2 is intended for the person. This document, completed on paper, is to be presented to the customs authorities at the time of entry of the pet animals for non-commercial purposes (e.g. to participate in exhibitions, events, for veterinary treatment, checks, etc.), or when the pet animals are carried through the territory of the Republic of Lithuania in transit (e.g. to/from the Kaliningrad region of the Russian Federation from/to the territory of a third country) by road transport.
- Document supplementing the Oral Customs Declaration -
Copy 2 of the Document supplementing the Oral Customs Declaration ("copy" intended for the person carrying the pet) is to be submitted by the person on removing the temporarily admitted animal to any EU customs office through which the animal is being removed.
If the customs authorities of the Republic of Lithuania establish that the temporary admission procedure has not been completed, they take steps to recover the import duties in accordance with the procedure laid down in the Union Customs Code.
3. When the value of the animal(s) pet(s) being brought exceeds EUR 1000, the standard customs declaration is to be completed.
Legal acts regulating the movement of animal pets and their declaration procedure:
Regulation (EU) No 576/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 12 June 2013 on the non-commercial movement of pet animals;
Annex 71-01 of Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2015/2446 of 28 July 2015 supplementing Regulation (EU) No 952/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards detailed rules concerning certain provisions of the Union Customs Code;
Description of procedure for inspecting pet animals carried for non-commercial purposes, approved by the Order No. B1-1144/1B-969 of 30 December 2014 of the State Food and Veterinary Service and Customs Department under the Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Lithuania;
Rules for oral declaration of goods, approved by Order No. 1B-1099 of 22 December 2017 of Director General of the Customs department on the approval of Rules for oral declaration of goods.
Licences to carry weapons and ammunition
The carriage of weapons and ammunition, the issue of licences related to the carriage of weapons is regulated by Government Resolution No. 739 of 15 June 2011.
Licences to export, import and transit weapons (e.g. for hunting, sports), including within the European Union state, are issued by the Police Department under the Ministry of the Interior of the Republic of Lithuania. Persons who bring the weapons into or out of the Republic of Lithuania must declare them in writing at the customs post, and must submit a declaration, the weapons and original licence to bring in (take out) the weapons to customs officers performing customs controls together with other required documents.
For export, import or transit of weapons in Categories B, C, D, a licence of the appropriate form must be presented for customs controls and clearance.
Types of licences:
Licence to export weapons means a document confirming a onetime permit to export one consignment of weapons.
Licence to import weapons means a document confirming a onetime permit to import one consignment of weapons.
Licence to carry weapons in transit means a document confirming a onetime permit to carry in transit one consignment of weapons.
Transportation of weapons means the taking out of weapons from the Republic of Lithuania to the European Union state or their bringing in from the European Union state into the Republic of Lithuania.
On importing individual weapons and their ammunition, an appropriate permit is also required to be submitted.
Individual weapons means weapons which are brought in, taken out or carried in transit or within the territory of the Republic of Lithuania without any purpose to sell or otherwise transfer them.
Types of licences of individual weapons:
Licence to bring in (take out) weapons means a document confirming a onetime permit to bring into or take out of the Republic of Lithuania weapons indicated in the licence.
Licence to bring in (take out) weapons means a document confirming a onetime permit to bring into/take out of the customs territory of the Republic of Lithuania from/into the countries and territories not attributed to the Community, to carry in transit through the customs territory of the Republic of Lithuania non-Community weapons indicated in the licence.
On export, import or carriage in transit of weapons, the appropriate original licence must be submitted to the officers performing customs controls together with other required documents.
The documents of weapons being exported, imported or carried in transit are checked at the customs offices and are cleared in the procedure established by laws and other legal acts of the Republic of Lithuania. A legal entity must inform of the export, import or transit of the weapons the territorial customs office (the customs office to which the weapons are intended to be presented) 2 working days in advance.
Weapons may be brought into the customs territory of the Republic of Lithuania, taken out of it or carried through it in transit only through the following posts of the territorial customs offices: Medininkai and Lavoriškės roads posts, Vilnius airport post, Vaidotai railway post of Vilnius territorial customs office; Kaunas airport post of Kaunas territorial customs office; Molo seaport post, Piles seaport post, Malkų Bay seaport post of Klaipėda territorial customs office. Weapons may be carried through other territorial customs posts only under a separate decision of the Government of the Republic of Lithuania.
A person responsible for the carriage of weapons being brought in (carrier) must ensure the compliance with the requirements for the transportation and keeping (storage) of the carried weapons until the weapons are handed over to a person who has been granted a licence to bring in (take out) the weapons.
Before handing over the weapons to the person responsible for their carriage (carrier) or/and customs officers, the person who has been granted the licence to bring in (take out) the weapons must submit the original licence to bring in (take out) the weapons as well as his personal identification document.
Food products
Travellers are PROHIBITED from importing from the third countries to the European Union in the personal baggage meat and dairy products. However, small amounts of the said products are allowed to be imported for personal use from Andorra, Faeroe Islands, Greenland, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, San Marino and Switzerland.
Travellers are ALLOWED to import a limited amount of dry baby milk, baby food as well as food for medical purposes if:
- it requires no freezing before use;
- it comprises packaged products bearing a trade mark and intended to be sold directly to an end user;
- their package is not broken, unless they are currently used.
A traveller is permitted to import meat and dairy products for personal use via the approved veterinary border inspection posts of the EU only if he/she:
- has the necessary documents received from the state veterinary service of the country he/she has departed from;
- declares all such articles and provides the relevant documents to the veterinary control upon arrival at the veterinary border inspection post.
If a traveller fails to observe the above rules, food products will be confiscated and destroyed upon arrival to the border of the European Union. If the traveller fails to declare that he carries such products, he/she may be subjected to penalty or prosecuted.
More information regarding the carriage of food products is available on the web page of the State Food and Veterinary Service at the address: https://vmvt.lt/en/
Plants and their products
The State Plant Service informs that, in accordance with Regulation (EU) 2016/2031 on protective measures against pests of plants, since 14 December 2019, all plants (seeds, fresh fruits or vegetables, cut flowers, seedlings, etc.) have been prohibited from being introduced into the Republic of Lithuania and the European Union from third countries without phytosanitary certificates.
There are no exemptions for travellers bringing in plants from third countries for their own use.
The general exemption applies only to the following fruits: pineapples, coconuts, durians, bananas, dates.
Please note that plants intended for planting (seeds, shoots, seedlings, etc.) may be introduced only with phytosanitary certificates and only via border control points with phytosanitary posts.
The approved list of phytosanitary posts of border control points is available here.
More information regarding the carriage of plants and plant products is available on the web page of the State Plant Protection Service at the address: http://www.vatzum.lt/en/
In order to guarantee the free movement of products within the Union, it is necessary to ensure that products are compliant with Union harmonisation legislation and therefore fulfil requirements providing a high level of protection of public interests, such as health and safety in general, health and safety in the workplace, protection of consumers, protection of the environment, public security and protection of any other public interests protected by that legislation. Robust enforcement of these requirements is essential to the proper protection of these interests and to create the conditions in which fair competition in the Union market for goods can thrive.
An effective way to ensure that unsafe or non-compliant products are not placed on the Union market would be to detect such products before they are released for free circulation.
With this in mind, Regulation (EU) 2019/1020 of the European Parliament and of the Council on market surveillance and compliance of products and amending Directive 2004/42/EC and Regulations (EC) No 765/2008 and (EU) No 305/2011 (hereinafter – Regulation) was adopted on 20 June 2019.
The objective of this Regulation is to improve the functioning of the internal market by strengthening the market surveillance of products covered by the Union harmonisation legislation, with a view to ensuring that only compliant products that fulfil requirements providing a high level of protection of public interests, such as health and safety in general, health and safety in the workplace, the protection of consumers, the protection of the environment and public security and any other public interests protected by that legislation, are made available on the Union market.
In accordance to provisions of Article 26 of the Regulation, the customs authorities shall suspend the release of a product for free circulation if in the course of controls, it is established that:
(a) the product is not accompanied by the documentation required by the Union law applicable to it or there is a reasonable doubt as to the authenticity, accuracy or completeness of such documentation;
(b) the product is not marked or labelled in accordance with the Union law applicable to it;
(c) the product bears a CE marking or other marking required by the Union law applicable to it which has been affixed in a false or misleading manner;
(d) the name, registered trade name or registered trade mark and the contact details, including the postal address, of an economic operator with tasks regarding the product subject to certain Union harmonisation legislation is not indicated or identifiable in accordance with Article 4(4); or
(e) for any other reason, when there is cause to believe that the product does not comply with the Union law applicable to it or that it presents a serious risk to health, safety, the environment or any other public interest referred to in Article 1.
The market surveillance authorities are immediately notified of any suspension of release of products for free circulation.
It should to be noted that according to Article 27 of the Regulation a product shall be released for free circulation where all the other requirements and formalities relating to such a release have been fulfilled and where within four working days of the suspension the market surveillance authorities have not requested the customs authorities to maintain the suspension.
Licensing and control of Strategic and Dual-use goods
The Customs of the Republic of Lithuania is one of the main chains in controlling the movement of strategic and dual-use goods. This is the main institution that controls the movement of these goods across the borders of Lithuania. Upon Lithuania’s accession to the European Union and NATO, the work of the customs authorities in this area has changed virtually. These authorities must ensure that the export of the strategic and dual-use goods is controlled completely.
In 1995, the law, establishing that the license of an appropriate form should be acquired with a view to exporting, importing or transiting via Lithuania strategic goods, dual-use goods and technologies, software, military equipment and technologies, arms, ammunition and parts thereof as well as explosives, was adopted in Lithuania.
The Law Concerning Control of Import, Transit and Export of Strategic Goods and Technologies has defined that controlled goods include the following:
• strategic goods, technologies and software;
• dual-use (civilian and military) goods, technologies and software;
• defence means and services;
• chemical and biological materials, which may be utilised in the production of chemical and chemical-bacteriological weapons of mass destruction;
• nuclear materials, non-nuclear materials used in nuclear activities, nuclear equipment and technologies;
• dual-use goods which may be utilised in nuclear activity;
• goods and technologies usable in missile production.
Last updated: 15-07-2024