COMMISSION STAFF WORKING DOCUMENT The EU Environmental Implementation Review Country Report - LITHUANIA Accompanying the document Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions The EU Environmental Implementation Review: Common Challenges and how to combine efforts to deliver better results
Date: 2017-02-03
Institutions: Directorate-General for Environment, European Commission
Subjects: EU environmental policy, EU initiative, Lithuania, application of EU law, environmental law, environmental protection, pollution control measures

EN 

   EN 

   EUROPEAN COMMISSION  Brussels, 3.2.2017  SWD(2017) 48 final   COMMISSION STAFF WORKING DOCUMENT The EU Environmental Implementation Review Country Report - LITHUANIA   Accompanying the document Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions The EU Environmental Implementation Review: Common Challenges and how to combine efforts to deliver better results   {COM(2017) 63 final} {SWD(2017) 33 - 47 final} {SWD(2017) 49 - 60 final}  
 
 
Lithuania  2 

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Lithuania  3 

Table of Content 

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY .................................................................................................................................... 4 

PART I: THEMATIC AREAS ............................................................................................................................... 5 

1. 

TURNING  THE  EU  INTO  A  CIRCULAR,  RESOURCE-EFFICIENT,  GREEN  AND  COMPETITIVE  LOW-
CARBON ECONOMY ............................................................................................................................... 5 

Developing a circular economy and improving resource efficiency ..................................................... 5 
Waste management .............................................................................................................................. 7 

2. 

PROTECTING, CONSERVING AND ENHANCING NATURAL CAPITAL ....................................................... 9 

Nature and Biodiversity ......................................................................................................................... 9 
Green Infrastructure ........................................................................................................................... 11 
Soil protection ..................................................................................................................................... 12 
Marine protection ............................................................................................................................... 13 

3. 

ENSURING CITIZENS' HEALTH AND QUALITY OF LIFE .......................................................................... 15 

Air quality ............................................................................................................................................ 15 
 ................................................................................................................................................. 16 
Noise 
Water quality and management ......................................................................................................... 16 
Enhancing the sustainability of cities .................................................................................................. 18 
International agreements ................................................................................................................... 19 

PART II: ENABLING FRAMEWORK: IMPLEMENTATION TOOLS ..................................................................... 21 

4.  MARKET BASED INSTRUMENTS AND INVESTMENT ............................................................................ 21 

Green taxation and environmentally harmful subsidies ..................................................................... 21 
Green Public Procurement .................................................................................................................. 22 
Investments: the contribution of EU funds ......................................................................................... 23 

5. 

EFFECTIVE GOVERNANCE AND KNOWLEDGE ...................................................................................... 25 

Effective governance within central, regional and local government ................................................. 25 
Compliance assurance ......................................................................................................................... 26 
Public participation and access to justice ........................................................................................... 27 
Access to information, knowledge and evidence ................................................................................ 27 

Environmental Implementation Report – Lithuania 

 
 
 
Executive summary 

Lithuania  4 

About the Environmental Implementation Review 

launched 

reports  describing 

the 
the  Commission 
In  May  2016, 
Environmental  Implementation  Review  (EIR),  a  two-year 
cycle  of  analysis,  dialogue  and  collaboration  to  improve 
the  implementation  of  existing  EU  environmental  policy 
and  legislation1.  As  a  first  step,  the  Commission  drafted 
28 
the  main  challenges  and 
opportunities on environmental implementation for each 
Member  State.  These  reports  are  meant  to  stimulate  a 
positive debate both on shared environmental challenges 
for  the  EU,  as  well  as  on  the  most  effective  ways  to 
address the key implementation gaps. The reports rely on 
the detailed sectoral implementation reports collected or 
issued  by  the  Commission  under  specific  environmental 
legislation  as  well  as  the  2015  State  of  the  Environment 
Report  and  other  reports  by  the  European  Environment 
Agency.  These  reports  will  not  replace  the  specific 
instruments  to  ensure  compliance  with  the  EU  legal 
obligations.  

The  reports  will  broadly  follow  the  outline  of  the  7th 
Environmental Action Programme2 and refer to the 2030 
related 
for  Sustainable  development  and 
Agenda 
Sustainable Development  Goals  (SDGs)3  to  the  extent  to 
which  they  reflect  the  existing  obligations  and  policy 
objectives of EU environmental law4.  

The  main  challenges  have  been  selected  by  taking  into 
account factors such as the importance or the gravity of 
the  environmental  implementation  issue  in  the  light  of 
the  impact  on  the  quality  of  life  of  the  citizens,  the 
distance to target, and financial implications. 

The  reports  accompany  the  Communication  "The  EU 
Environmental  Implementation  Review  2016:  Common 
challenges  and  how  to  combine  efforts  to  deliver  better 
results", which identifies challenges that are common to 
several Member States, provides preliminary conclusions 
on  possible  root  causes  of  implementation  gaps  and 
proposes  joint  actions  to  deliver  better  results.  It  also 
groups in its Annex the actions proposed in each country 
report to improve implementation at national level. 

General profile 

The  status  of  the  environment  and  especially  air  and 
water  quality  is  good  in  Lithuania.  Resource  and  energy 
intensity  remains  high  and  exceeding  the  EU  average. 

1 Communication "Delivering the benefits of EU environmental policies 

through a regular Environmental Implementation Review" 
(COM/2016/ 316 final). 

2 Decision No. 1386/2013/EU of 20 November 2013 on a General Union 
Environmental Action Programme to 2020 "Living well, within the 
limits of our planet". 

3 United Nations, 2015. The Sustainable Development Goals  
4 This EIR report does not cover climate change, chemicals and energy. 

However, its government is taking the first steps towards 
the  shift  to  the  circular  economy.  Notably,  waste 
management  remains  a  particular  issue  in  Lithuania. 
Municipal  waste  disposal  in  landfills  remains  its  main 
treatment  option.  In  recent  years  investments  have 
either have been made or planned in a number of MBTs5 
and  additional  waste  incineration  capacity.  Lithuania 
should  carefully  plan  further  investments  in  the  waste 
sector  in  order  not  to  hinder  the  achievement  of  the 
2020 recycling target.  

Main Challenges 

The main challenges with regard to implementation of EU 
environmental policy and law in Lithuania are: 

  Waste  management 

remains  a  challenge 

for 
Lithuania  with  the  foreseen  new  municipal  waste 
incineration capacities potentially putting at risk the 
EU recycling targets. 

  Lithuania  remains  a  resource  and  energy  intensive 

country. 

Main Opportunities 

Lithuania  could  perform  better  on  topics  where  there  is 
already a good knowledge base and good practices. This 
applies in particular to: 

  Targeted  policy  measures  and  sufficient  funding 
could  further  enhance  Lithuania's  performance  in 
eco-innovation. 

efficiency, 

  Use  of  market  based  instruments  could  encourage 
in  waste 
resource 
management  (e.g.  meet  the  2020  recycling  targets 
and  divert  waste  from  landfill).  Vehicle  taxation 
could  play  an  important  role  in  supporting  a  modal 
shift from private to public transport. 

particularly 

  More targeted use of the opportunities provided by 
the ESIF to enhance environmental implementation, 
as  well  as  the  use  of  EIB  loans  and  EFSI  support  to 
further  promote  environmental  projects  would 
improve progress across the board. 

Points of Excellence 

leader  on  environmental 
Where  Lithuania 
implementation,  innovative  approaches  could  be  shared 
more widely with other countries. Good examples are: 

is  a 

  A  good  compliance  record,  having  a  low  number  of 

complaints and infringements. 

  While  eco-innovation  in  general  in  Lithuania  needs 
further  efforts,  Lithuania  has  strengths  in  certain 
areas such as biotechnology and laser technology. 

5 Mechanical biological treatment facility 

Environmental Implementation Report – Lithuania 

 
 
                                                            
                                                            
Lithuania  5 

Part I: Thematic Areas 

1. Turning the EU into a circular, resource-efficient, green and 

competitive low-carbon economy 

Developing a circular economy and improving 
resource efficiency 

The 2015 Circular Economy Package emphasizes the need 
to  move  towards  a  lifecycle-driven  ‘circular’  economy, 
with a cascading use of resources and residual waste that 
is  close  to  zero.  This  can  be  facilitated  by  the 
development  of,  and  access  to,  innovative  financial 
instruments and funding for eco-innovation. 

SDG  8  invites  countries  to  promote  sustained,  inclusive 
and  sustainable  economic  growth,  full  and  productive 
employment  and  decent  work  for  all.  SDG  9  highlights 
infrastructure,  promote 
the  need  to  build  resilient 
inclusive  and  sustainable  industrialization  and  foster 
innovation.  SDG 12  encourages countries  to  achieve  the 
sustainable  management  and  efficient  use  of  natural 
resources by 2030. 

Measures towards a circular economy 
Transforming our economies from linear to circular offers 
an  opportunity  to  reinvent  them  and  make  more 
sustainable  and  competitive.  This  will  bring  both  short 
and long-term benefits for the economy, industries, and 
citizens alike.6 

development.  Furthermore,  Lithuania  has  average 
achievements  in  regards  to  the  targets  proposed  for  EU 
circular economy with areas still needing to be improved.  
Figure 1: Resource productivity 2003-159 

Among  the  proposed  priorities  in  the  Lithuanian  Smart 
Specialisation  Strategy,  circular  economy  is  specifically 
targeted  by  the  use  of  alternative  fuels  to  increase 
energy  efficiency,  efficient  waste  management  and 
rationalisation  of  various  production  cycles  to  include 
recycled resources. 

costs, 

reduce 

facilitate 

There  is  untapped  potential  for  the  whole  economy,  as 
well as for economic sectors and individual companies to 
benefit  from  the  shift  to  the  circular  economy,  which 
could 
and 
competitiveness,  as  well  as  job  creation;  while  at  the 
same  time  would  address  resource  challenges.  Figure  1 
shows  that  resource  productivity  (how  efficiently  the 
economy  uses  material  resources  to  produce  wealth)7, 
with  0.80 EUR/kg  (EU average  is  2)  in  Lithuania  has  only 
slightly  increased  since  2008,  however,  it  still  remained 
significantly below the EU average in 2015.8   

growth 

The  main  drivers  for  the  transition  to  the  circular 
funds  and 
economy  are 
collaborative grants for eco-innovation with Norway.  

the  support 

from  EU 

While  Lithuania  supports  the  EU  Circular  Economy 
Package and the shift to the circular economy in general, 
its  government  is  taking  only  the  first  steps  towards  it. 
Legislation  for  promoting  and  applying  the  principles  of 
circular economy in Lithuania is still in the early stages of 

Moreover, waste management and recycling have had a 
bigger  visibility  in  the  recent  years  in  Lithuania.  Since 
2014, the Packaging Innovations and Research Centre (at 
Kaunas  University  of  Technology)  has  been  conducting 
and 
research 
environmental  impact  of  packages.  New  businesses  are 
also  emerging  (Polymer  Recycling,  Esco)  that  base  their 
business model on recycling waste into new materials. 

development 

sustainable 

into 

The  low  level  of  eco-innovation  remains  a  challenge  for 
Lithuania. This is compounded by the low level of private 
sector 
in 
environmental sectors. 

lack  of  suitable  skills 

investment  and 

SMEs and resource efficiency 
In  the  Flash  Eurobarometer  426  "SMEs,  resource 
efficiency  and  green  markets"10  it  is  shown  that  39%  of 
Lithuania's SMEs have invested  up to 5% of their annual 
turnover 
actions 
resource 
(EU28 average  50%),  29%  of  them  are  currently  offering 
green  products  and  services  (EU28  average  26%),  50% 

efficiency 

their 

in 

6 European Commission, 2015. Proposed Circular Economy Package 
7 Resource productivity is defined as the ratio between gross domestic 

product (GDP) and domestic material consumption (DMC). 

8 Eurostat, Resource productivity, accessed October 2016 

9 Eurostat, Resource productivity, accessed October 2016 
10 European Commission, 2015. Flash 426 Eurobarometer "SMEs, 

resource efficiency and green markets" 

Environmental Implementation Report – Lithuania 

 
 
 
                                                            
 
                                                            
Lithuania  6 

Lithuania’s  global  competitiveness  by  establishing  an 
effective  innovation  system.  Growing  potential  in  eco-
innovation  is  expected  in  construction,  solar  energy, 
waste management and green transport. 
Figure 2: Eco-Innovation Index 2015 (EU=100)13 

From  a 

took measures to save energy (EU28 average 59%), 33% 
to  minimise  waste  (EU28  average  60%),  45%  to  save 
water  (EU28  average  44%),  and  46%  to  save  materials 
(EU28 average  54%). 
circular  economy 
perspective,  12%  took  measures  to  recycle  by  reusing 
material  or  waste  within  the  company,  13%  to  design 
products that are easier to maintain, repair or reuse and 
24%  were  able  to  sell  their  scrap  material  to  another 
company.  The  resource  efficiency  actions  undertaken 
allowed  the  reduction  of  production  costs  in  a  56%  of 
the Lithuanian SMEs (EU average 45%). 

The Flash Eurobarometer shows that 19% of the SMEs in 
Lithuania  have  one  or  more  full  time  employee  working 
in a green job at least some of the time. Lithuania has an 
average  number  of  1.4  full  time  green  employees  per 
SME.11 

Eco-Innovation 
The  composite  eco-innovation  index  for  Lithuania  rose 
from 66 in 2013 to 72.9 in 2015, as depicted in Figure 2. 

in 

between 

Lithuania 

for  eco-innovation 

is 
 A  major  economic  driver 
the funding support from EU measures and a continuing 
Norway. 
partnership 
This partnership 
to 
led 
particular 
Innovation 
the establishment  of  the  Green 
Programme  based  on 
Financial 
Mechanism 2009-2014. The programme has helped fund 
many new innovations and has been a great contributing 
force  towards  moving  Lithuania  in  the  direction  of  eco-
innovation.  

and 
has 
Industry 
the  Norwegian 

The  partnership  with  Norway  also  acts  as  a  driver  of 
cultural  change  for  Lithuanian  businesses.  Though  the 
last  call  for  the  Green  Industry  Innovation  Programme 
was  issued  in  2015,  the  partnership  has  continued  in 
other aspects. In particular matchmaking events between 
Lithuanian and Norwegian businesses have been planned 
for 2016 and 2017 to continue spreading good practice of 
eco-innovation 
in 
particular). 

in  Lithuania  (waste  management 

Since 2013, the policy framework for eco-innovation has 
been  significantly  improved,  especially  with  two  major 
programmes  and  strategies  that  cover  national  actions 
for eco-innovation12. The promotion of eco-innovation in 
Lithuania is covered under the general innovation policy 
agenda - Lithuanian Innovation Development Programme 
for  2014-2020,  the  strategic  aim  of  which  is  to  promote 

11 The Flash Eurobarometer 426 "SMEs, resource efficiency and green 

markets" defines "green job" as a job that directly deals with 
information, technologies, or materials that preserves or restores 
environmental quality. This requires specialised skills, knowledge, 
training, or experience (e.g. verifying compliance with environmental 
legislation, monitoring resource efficiency within the company, 
promoting and selling green products and services). 

12 Lithuanian Innovation Development Programme for 2014-2020 and 

Lithuanian Smart Specialisation Strategy 

The  Smart  Specialisation  Strategy,  adopted  in  2015, 
promotes  economic  growth  and  the  contribution  of 
knowledge-intensive  economic  activities  to  GDP, 
in 
particular,  biotechnology,  which  is  a  priority  area  for 
agro-innovation  and  food  technologies,  as  well  as  laser 
applications. 
technology 
The programme  includes  an  action  plan  for  sustainable 
use of agro-biological resources and safe food. 

in  biomedical 

for  use 

towards 

increased  promotion  of 
While  progress 
innovation  in  general  can  be  observed  in  the  Lithuanian 
policy landscape, the key barrier still remains the lack of 
policy measures for the promotion of eco-innovation.  

Another interrelated problem is that for a long time there 
was  no  common  understanding  about  eco-innovation 
among various institutions, ministries and SMEs.  

A  potential  problem  in  the  future  is  that  funding  for 
innovation  in  general,  and  eco-innovation  in  particular, 
heavily relies on the European Structural Funds (ESF).  

13 Eco-innovation Observatory: Eco-Innovation scoreboard 2015 

Environmental Implementation Report – Lithuania 

 
                                                            
 
 
                                                            
Lithuania  7 

Although  in  2014,  Lithuania  decreased  the  amounts  of 
municipal  waste  landfilled  compared  to  2013  (64%  in 
2013, 60% in 2014), it was still significantly above the EU 
average of 28%. Disposal in landfills remained Lithuania's 
main  treatment  option  of  municipal  waste.  Composting 
has 
in  2014 
increased  from  8% 
(EU average 16% in 2014). 

in  2013  to  10% 

Even though in 2014 recycling of municipal waste at 31% 
has  slightly  increased  compared  to  the  year  before  (EU 
average  44%  in  2014),  this  stagnation  puts  Lithuania  at 
risk  of  not  meeting  the  50%  recycling  target  by  2020  as 
shown in Figure 4.16  
Figure 4: Recycling rate of municipal waste 2007-1417 

Waste management  

Turning waste into a resource requires: 
 

implementation  of  Union  waste 

Full 
legislation, 
which  includes  the  waste  hierarchy;  the  need  to 
ensure  separate  collection  of  waste;  the  landfill 
diversion targets etc. 

  Reducing  per  capita  waste  generation  and  waste 

generation in absolute terms. 

Limiting energy recovery to non-recyclable materials and 
phasing out landfilling of recyclable or recoverable waste. 
SDG  12  invites  countries  to  substantially  reduce  waste 
generation  through  prevention,  reduction,  recycling  and 
reuse, by 2030. 

The  EU's  approach  to  waste  management  is  based  on 
the "waste hierarchy" which sets out an order of priority 
when  shaping  waste  policy  and  managing  waste  at 
the operational  level:  prevention,  (preparing  for)  reuse, 
recycling,  recovery  and,  as  the  least  preferred  option, 
disposal  (which 
incineration 
includes 
without energy recovery). 

landfilling  and 

The  progress  towards  reaching  recycling  targets  and 
the adoption  of  adequate  WMP/WPP  should  be  the  key 
items  to  measure  the  performance  of  Member  States. 
This section focuses on management of municipal waste 
for which EU law sets mandatory recycling targets. 

just 

in  Lithuania 
In  2014,  municipal  waste  generation 
remained 
the  EU  average 
(433 kg/y/inhabitant  compared  to  around  474  kg  on 
average).14  Figure  3  depicts  the  municipal  waste  by 
treatment in Lithuania in terms of kg per capita. 

slightly  below 

Figure  3:  Municipal  waste  by  treatment  in  Lithuania 
2007-1415 

fulfilled 

the  2010 

Lithuania  has  not 
for 
biodegradable waste diversion from landfills (to no more 
than  85%  of  1995  level).  Nevertheless,  Lithuania  has 
reduced  the  amount  of  biodegradable  municipal  waste 
going to landfill to 55% by 2012.  

target 

Lithuania  met  the  packaging  waste  recycling  target  in 
2012.  However,  in  2013  the  recycling  rate  decreased 
from  62.2%  in  2012  to  53.5%  in  2013  placing  it  below 
the target  of  55%. 
In  order  to  help  bridge  the 
implementation  gap  in  Lithuania,  the  Commission  has 
delivered  a  roadmap  for  Lithuania18  for  compliance  in 
which economic instruments play a crucial role. 

Managing  waste  efficiently  and  reaching  the  2020 
recycling target of 50% remains a challenge in Lithuania. 
Comparing to the previous year, waste management has 
improved;  however,  further  investments  in  separate 

16 Member States may choose a different method than the one used by 
ESTAT (and referred to in this report) to calculate their recycling rates 
and track compliance with the 2020 target of 50% recycling of 
municipal waste. 

17 Eurostat, Recycling rate of municipal waste, accessed October 2016 
18 European Commission, Support to Member States in improving waste 
management based on assessment of Member States’ performance, 
Roadmap for Lithuania   

14 Eurostat, Municipal waste and treatment, by type of treatment 

method, accessed October 2016 

15 Eurostat, Municipal waste and treatment, by type of treatment 

method, accessed October 2016 

Environmental Implementation Report – Lithuania 

 
 
                                                            
 
                                                            
Lithuania  8 

recycling,  reuse  or  other  recovery  (sorting  lines,  other 
equipment), 
the  waste 
and  modernisation  of 
management information system and monitoring. 

Suggested action 

  Gradually increase landfill taxes to phase-out landfilling 
of recyclable and recoverable waste. Use the revenues 
to  support  the  separate  collection  and  alternative 
infrastructure in conjunction with a better allocation of 
the  cohesion  policy  funds  to  the  first  steps  of  waste 
hierarchy.  Avoid  building  excessive  infrastructure  for 
the 
(the  existing 
incinerating facilities could treat approximately 30% of 
municipal waste.). 

residual  waste 

treatment  of 

  Focus  more  effort  on  implementation  of  the  separate 
collection  obligation  to 
increase  recycling  rates. 
Use the economic  instruments  (e.g.  PAYT)  to  support 
transition towards more recycling. 

collection  and  recycling  will  be  needed  in  Lithuania  in 
order to reach the 2020 recycling target. 

In  2014,  Lithuania  adopted 
its  National  Waste 
Management  Plan  2014-2020  (last  amendment  in  June 
in  2013  the  National  Waste  Prevention 
2016)  and 
Programme.  

Furthermore, in June 2016 Lithuania amended its Waste 
management plan including two new Combined Heat and 
Power  plant  (CHP)  in  Vilnius  and/or  in  Kaunas  with  a 
combined  incineration  capacity  of  municipal  waste  of 
360,000  t/y.  The  construction  of  two  additional  CHPs  is 
incineration 
likely 
overcapacity.  Lithuania  plans  to  incinerate  30%  of  its 
municipal waste. 

to  municipal  waste 

lead 

to 

However,  this calculation  includes the  'stocks'  of  refuse-
derived fuel to be cumulated over the next several years 
(equivalent  to  100,000  t/y  in  terms  of  capacity)  and 
packaging waste (60,000 t/y). 

landfill 

restrictions 

In the light of the on-going review of the recycling targets 
for  municipal  waste 
and 
(COM(2015)595, 594) – 65% recycling target for 2030 and 
possible  upwards  review  of  the  targets  by  2025  and 
a landfill  restriction  to  10%  for  2030  –  the  Commission 
services consider that the optimal incineration capacity in 
a  country  is  20-25%  of  municipal  waste  generated. 
Incineration  capacity  in  excess  of  this  is  likely  to  further 
hinder Lithuania from meeting the 50% recycling target in 
2020 and future increase of that target level. 

Full  implementation  of  the  existing  legislation  could 
create  more  than  5200  jobs  in  Lithuania  and  increase 
the annual  turnover  of  the  waste  sector  by  EUR  550 
million.  Moving  towards  the  targets  of  the  Roadmap  on 
resource efficiency could create over 3000 additional jobs 
and increase the annual turnover of the waste sector by 
over EUR 630 million.19 

EU  structural  and  investment  funds  are  an  important 
source  of  funding  for  improved  waste  management 
system  in  Lithuania.  In  2007-2013  190  million  EUR  were 
invested  into  waste  management  projects,  including 
construction  of  9  regional  mechanical  and  biological 
waste 
treatment  plants,  remediation  of  340  old 
landfills/dumpsites,  construction  of  numerous  bulky 
waste  collection  and  green  waste  composting  sites, 
extension  of  separate  waste  collection  system  (210  000 
containers for recyclable and biodegradable waste).  

In  the  2014-2020  period  87,2  million  EUR  investment 
from  the  Cohesion  Fund  is  planned  to  support  further 
development  of  the  separate  collection  of  waste, 
modernisation  of  capacities  to  prepare  waste  for 

19 Bio Intelligence service, 2011. Implementing EU Waste legislation for 
Green Growth, study for European Commission. The breakdown per 
country on job creation was made by the consultant on Commission 
demand but was not included in the published document.   

Environmental Implementation Report – Lithuania 

 
                                                            
 
 
2. Protecting, conserving and enhancing natural capital 

Lithuania  9 

Nature and Biodiversity  

The  EU  Biodiversity  Strategy  aims  to  halt  the  loss  of 
biodiversity  in  the  EU  by  2020,  restore  ecosystems  and 
their services in so far as feasible, and step up efforts to 
avert  global  biodiversity  loss.  The  EU  Birds  and  Habitats 
Directives  aim  at  achieving  favourable  conservation 
status of protected species and habitats.  

SDG  14  requires  countries  to  conserve  and  sustainably 
use the oceans, seas and marine resources, while SDG 15 
requires  countries  to  protect,  restore  and  promote  the 
sustainable  use  of  terrestrial  ecosystems,  sustainably 
manage  forests,  combat  desertification,  and  halt  and 
reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss. 

The  1992  EU  Habitats  Directive  and  the  1979  Birds 
Directive are the cornerstone of the European legislation 
aimed  at  the  conservation  of  the  EU's  wildlife.  Natura 
2000, the largest coordinated network of protected areas 
in  the  world,  is  the  key  instrument  to  achieve  and 
implement the Directives' objectives to ensure the  long-
term  protection,  conservation  and  survival  of  Europe's 
most  valuable  and  threatened  species  and  habitats  and 
the ecosystems they underpin. 

The  adequate  designation  of  protected  sites  as  Special 
Ares  of  Conservation  (SAC)  under  the  Habitats  Directive 
and  as  Special  Protection  Areas  (SPA)  under  the  Birds 
Directive 
is  a  key  milestone  towards  meeting  the 
objectives  of  the  Directives.  The  results  of  Habitats 
Directive Article 17 and Birds Directive Article 12 reports 
and  the  progress  towards  adequate  Sites  of  Community 
Importance (SCI)-SPA and SAC designation20 both in land 
and  at  sea,  should  be  the  key  items  to  measure  the 
performance of Member States. 

By  early  2016,  12.16%  of  the  national  land  area  of 
Lithuania is covered by Natura 2000 (EU average 18.1%), 
with  Birds  Directive  SPAs  covering  8.47%  (EU  average 
12.3%)  and  Habitats  Directive  SCIs  covering  9.40% 
in  Lithuania 
(EU average  13.8%).  The 
comprises 83 sites covering a total area of over 626 000 
ha, while the list of SCIs consists of 410 sites covering 667 
000  ha.  The  area  of  overlapping  SPAs  and  SCIs  is  about 
385  000  ha.  With  the  establishment  of  the  last  marine 
SPA  in  July  2015  Lithuanian  network  of  SPAs  is  being 
considered 
latest 
assessment21 of the SCIs part of the Natura 2000 network 

completed.  However, 

list  of  SPAs 

the 

as 

20 Sites of Community Importance (SCIs) are designated pursuant to the 
Habitats Directive whereas Special Areas of Protection (SPAs) are 
designated pursuant to the Birds Directive; figures of coverage do 
not add up due to the fact that some SCIs and SPAs overlap. Special 
Areas of Conservation (SACs) means a SCI designated by the Member 
States. 

21 For each Member State, the Commission assesses whether the 
species and habitat types on Annexes I and II of the Habitats 

shows  that  there  are  insufficiencies  in  designation  as 
shown in Figure 522.  

Figure  5:  Sufficiency  assessment  of  SCI  networks  in 
Lithuania  based  on  the  situation  until  December  2013 
(%)23  

Between  2011-2015  Lithuania  carried  out  a  national 
habitat  inventory  with  a  view  to  determine  the  exact 
localization  of  natural  habitats  and  also  to  collect 
the necessary  data  needed  for  establishing  favourable 
reference  values  and 
conservation 
the 
objectives  for  each  habitat  type.  Preliminary  results  of 
the  exercise  strongly  suggest  that  the  information  on 
the present SCI’s will have to be substantially reviewed as 
to reflect the current reality. Furthermore, it also points 
to  the  idea  that  the  current  SCI  network  might  be 
incomplete for some habitat types and species.      

relevant 

the  uncertainties, 

Nevertheless,  despite 
species 
conservation  plans  and  management  plans  of  protected 
areas continue being developed in Lithuania according to 
the requirements of the European legislation. At present, 
there  are  82  management  plans  for  Natura  2000  sites 
adopted,  and  143  in  preparation  at  different  stages  of 
development. As pointed out in the last Habitat Directive 

Directive, are sufficiently represented by the sites designated to 
date. This is expressed as a percentage of species and habitats for 
which further areas need to be designated in order to complete the 
network in that country. The current data, which were assessed in 
2014-2015, reflect the situation up until December 2013. 

22 The percentages in Figure 5 refer to percentages of the total number 
of assessments (one assessment covering 1 species or 1 habitat in a 
given biographical region with the Member State); if a habitat type or 
a species occurs in more than 1 Biogeographic region within a given 
Member State, there will be as many individual assessments as there 
are Biogeographic regions with an occurrence of that species or 
habitat in this Member State. 

23 European Commission internal assessment. 

Environmental Implementation Report – Lithuania 

 
 
                                                            
 
                                                                                                 
Lithuania  10 

Article  1724  Report,  the  main  identified  difficulties  for 
implementation  of  the required  nature  management 
activities  over  the Natura  2000  network  in  Lithuania  are 
the 
lack  of  financial  resources  for  the  funding  of 
surveillance  of  species  and  habitats  as  well  as  for 
activities related to habitat restoration and maintenance.  

Conflicts  between  commercial  agricultural  or  forestry 
activities and the particular management of the land for 
nature  protection  needs  represent  a  serious  limiting 
factor. This is especially where specific pastures or forest 
conditions  are  no  longer  economically  profitable.  The 
grassland  habitats  in  need  of  protection  under  Natura 
2000 are the weakest links of the network in Lithuania.  

The Prioritised Action Framework is expected to provide 
tools  to  mitigate  some  of  those  critical  cases  of 
deterioration  of  habitats  generated  by  now  obsolete 
agricultural practices through a better focused allocation 
of financial resources. Nevertheless, it is unlikely that the 
PAF  alone  will  solve  the  sustainability  concerns  of  the 
grassland habitats. 

According  to  the  latest  report  on  the  conservation 
status25  of  habitats  and  species  covered  by  the  Habitats 

24 The core of the ‘Article 17’ report is the assessment of conservation 
status of the habitats and species targeted by the Habitats Directive 

25 Conservation status is assessed using a standard methodology as 

being either ‘favourable’, ‘unfavourable-inadequate’ and 

the  habitats  biogeographic 
Directive,  18.5%  of 
assessments  were  favourable  in  2013  (EU  27:  16%). 
Furthermore,  52%  are  considered  to  be  unfavourable–
inadequate (EU27: 47%) and 24% are unfavourable – bad 
for  the  species,  26.5%  of  the 
(EU27:  30%).  As 
in  2013,  55%  at 
assessments  were 
unfavourable-inadequate 
10% 
unfavourable-bad status (EU27: 18%). This is depicted in 
Figure 626.  

favourable 

(EU27: 

42%) 

and 

Figure 6: Conservation status of habitats and species in 
Lithuania in 2007/2013 (%)27 

Only  6.3%  of  the  unfavourable  assessments  for  species 
were  showing  a  positive  trend 
in  2013  and  no 
unfavourable  assessments  for  habitats  were  showing  a 
positive trend in 2013.  

As  far  as  birds  are  concerned,  77%  of  the  breeding 
species 
stable 
population  trends  (for  wintering  species  this  figure  was 
56%). 

increasing  or 

short-term 

showed 

‘unfavourable-bad’, based on four parameters as defined in Article 1 
of the Habitats Directive. 

26 Please note that a direct comparison between 2007 and 2013 data is 
complicated by the fact that Bulgaria and Romania were not covered 
by the 2007 reporting cycle, that the ‘unknown’ assessments have 
strongly diminished particularly for species, and that some reported 
changes are not real as they result from improved data / monitoring 
methods. 

27 These figures show the percentage of biogeographical assessments in 
each category of conservation status for habitats and species (one 
assessment covering 1 species or 1 habitat in a given biographical 
region with the Member State), respectively. The information is 
based on the ‘Article 17’ report – national summary of Lithuania.  

Environmental Implementation Report – Lithuania 

 
 
                                                            
 
 
 
                                                                                                 
Figure  7:  Short-term  population  trend  of  breeding  and 
wintering bird species in Lithuania in 2012 (%)28 

In 2014-2020 financing period 50 million EUR of ESI funds 
are earmarked for nature protection, biodiversity, Natura 
2000  and  green  infrastructure.  It  will  help  to  restore 
favourable conservation status in 1,150 hectares surface 
area of habitats. 

Suggested action 

  Complete the Natura 2000 designation process and put 
in  place  clearly  defined  conservation  objectives  and 
the necessary conservation measures for the sites and 
provide  adequate  resources  for  their  implementation 
in  order  to  maintain/restore  species  and  habitats  of 
community interest to a favourable conservation status 
across their natural range.  
  Develop  and  promote 

streamlined 
implementation  approaches,  in  particular  as  regards 
site  and  species  permitting  procedures,  ensuring  the 
necessary  knowledge  and  data  availability.  Strengthen 
communication with stakeholders. 

smart  and 

  Continue  support  to  the  mapping  and  assessment  of 
valuation  and 

ecosystems  and 
development of natural capital accounting systems. 

services, 

their 

Lithuania  11 

Green Infrastructure  
The  EU  strategy  on  green  infrastructure29  promotes  the 
incorporation  of  green  infrastructure  into  related  plans 
and  programmes  to  help  overcome  fragmentation  of 
habitats  and  preserve  or  restore  ecological  connectivity, 
enhance  ecosystem  resilience  and  thereby  ensure  the 
continued provision of ecosystem services. 

Green  Infrastructure  provides  ecological,  economic  and 
social  benefits  through  natural  solutions.  It  helps  to 
understand the value of the benefits that nature provides 
to human society and to mobilise investments to sustain 
and enhance them. 

The  backbone  of  green  infrastructure  in  Lithuania  is 
the national  legislation  on  ecological  network,  which 
requires 
incorporating  protected  areas  and  other 
ecologically  and  biologically  valuable  areas  into  spatial 
planning processes with the aims to:  

  protect 

and 

natural 

landscape 

biodiversity, 
recreational resources;  
to  make  interlinkages  among  the  most  ecologically 
valuable habitats;  
 to form migration corridors; 
to enhance areas of forests; and 
to  regulate  development  of  urbanization  and 
agriculture. 

 

 
 
 

The  Action  Plan  on  Conservation  of  Landscape  and 
Biodiversity for the period of 2015–2020 sets a strategic 
goal 
loss  and 
degradation of ecosystems and their services and, where 
possible, to restore them.  

to  halt  biodiversity 

for  Lithuania 

implementation  of 
The  Process  of  preparation  and 
management plans for protected areas as well as action 
plans for protected species is ongoing. 

Nine  border  municipalities  in  Latvia  and  Lithuania  are 
cooperating  under  the  motto  “Let’s  make  our  cities 
greener”  in  order  to  restore  urban  parks  and  green 
infrastructure;  improve  the  wellbeing,  awareness  and 
engagement  of  citizens  to  maintain  green  areas  in  their 
neighbourhood;  and  enable  city  planners  to  integrate 
green infrastructure in urban space. 

A LIFE+ project for the establishment of a pilot ecological 
network  in  South  Lithuania,  completed  in  2015,  carried 
out  activities  for  the  protection  of  target  species, 
the restoration  of  their  habitats,  the  creation  of  an 
ecological  network  and  education  of  local  communities. 
The ecological network model is intended for replication 
to  the  entire  territory  of  Lithuania.  The  project  further 
raised  local  awareness  of  the  importance  of  ecological 
networks for nature and for people30. 

28 Article 12 of the Birds Directive reporting - national summary of 

Capital,( COM/2013/0249) 

Lithuania 

30 LIFE09 NAT/LT/000581: http://www.glis.lt/ekotinklas/index.php/lt/  

29 European Union, Green Infrastructure — Enhancing Europe’s Natural 

Environmental Implementation Report – Lithuania 

 
 
 
                                                            
                                                            
Soil protection  

further 

soil  degradation  and 

The  EU  Soil  Thematic  Strategy  highlights  the  need  to 
ensure  a  sustainable  use  of  soils.  This  requires  the 
prevention  of 
the 
preservation of its functions, as well as the restoration of 
degraded  soils.  The  2011  Road  Map  for  Resource-
Efficient  Europe,  part  of  Europe  2020  Strategy  provides 
that  by  2020,  EU  policies  take  into  account  their  direct 
and  indirect  impact  on  land  use  in  the  EU  and  globally, 
and  the  rate  of  land  take  is  on  track  with  an  aim  to 
achieve no net land take by 2050. 

SDG  15  requires  countries  to  combat  desertification, 
restore degraded land and soil, including land affected by 
desertification, drought and floods, and strive to achieve 
a land-degradation-neutral world by 2030. 

Soil is an important resource for life and the economy. It 
provides  key  ecosystem  services  including  the  provision 
of food, fibre and biomass for renewable energy, carbon 
sequestration,  water  purification  and  flood  regulation, 
the provision of raw and building material. Soil is a finite 
and  extremely 
increasingly 
degrading  in  the  EU.  Land  taken  by  urban  development 
and infrastructure is highly unlikely to be reverted to its 
natural  state;  it  consumes  mostly  agricultural  land  and 
increases  fragmentation  of  habitats.  Soil  protection  is 
indirectly  addressed  in  existing EU policies  in  areas  such 
as  agriculture,  water,  waste,  chemicals,  and  prevention 
of industrial pollution. 

resource  and 

fragile 

Artificial  land  cover  is  used  for  settlements,  production 
systems and infrastructure. It may itself be split between 
built-up areas (buildings) and non-built-up areas (such as 
linear transport networks and associated areas).  

The  annual  land  take  rate  (growth  of  artificial  areas)  as 
provided  by  CORINE  Land  Cover  was  0.29%  in  Lithuania 
over the period 2006-12, below the EU average (0.41%). 
It  represented  612  hectares  per  year  and  was  mainly 
driven by new construction, together with the extension 
of  mines  and  quarry  areas31.  The  percentage  of  built  up 
land in 2009 was 2.05%, below the EU average (3.23%)32. 

Figure 8 shows the different land cover types in Lithuania 
in 2012. 

The soil water erosion rate in 2010 was 0.52 tonnes per 
ha per year, well below EU-28 average (2.46 tonnes)33. 

There  are  still  not  EU-wide  datasets  enabling  the 
provision of benchmark indicators for soil organic matter 
decline, contaminated sites, pressures on soil biology and 

(in Lithuanian) 

31 European Environment Agency Draft results of CORINE Land Cover 

(CLC) inventory 2012; mean annual land take 2006-12 as a % of 2006 
artificial land. 

32 European Environment Agency, 2016. Imperviousness and 

imperviousness change, Figure 1 

Lithuania  12 

diffuse pollution. 
Figure 8: Land Cover types in Lithuania in 201234 

“Database 

However,  since  1999,  Lithuania  is  implementing  a  long-
term  project 
fulfilment  of  geological 
environment’s  contaminated  sites”.  During  this  period 
(until  beginning  2016),  12,278  potentially  contaminated 
sites have been inventoried (Figure 8a).  

Figure  8a.  Inventorisation  of  potentially  contaminated 
sites35  

In the time period from 2007 until 2015, more than 1000 
contaminated  sites  were  investigated.    887  of  them  are 
preliminary  eco-geological  investigations,  210  detailed 
control 
eco-geological 
investigations after remediation of contaminated sites. 

investigations 

and 

88 

34 European Environment Agency, 2016. Land cover 2012 and changes 

country analysis [publication forthcoming] 

33 Eurostat, Soil water erosion rate, Figure 2, accessed November 2016 

35 Lithuanian Geological Survey. Annual Report, 2015. 

Environmental Implementation Report – Lithuania 

12411625231627983191427151875955650210853110901113911156111791208912278020004000600080001000012000140002000200120022003200420052006200720082009201020112012201320142015 
                                                                                                 
 
 
 
                                                            
Figure 
remediation of contaminated sites36 

Environmental 

8b. 

investigations 

Lithuania  13 

and 

strategy is to establish a Programme of Measures (2016). 
The  Commission  assesses  whether  these  elements 
constitute  an  appropriate  framework  to  meet  the 
requirements of the MSFD. 

Lithuanian  marine  waters  are  part  of  the  Baltic  Sea 
marine  region.  Lithuania 
is  therefore  party  to  the 
Convention on the Protection of the Marine Environment 
of the Baltic Sea (HELCOM). In the Baltic Sea, main risks 
for  biodiversity  relate  to  eutrophication,  overfishing  and 
bycatch,  pollution  by  contaminants  and  oil,  and 
introduction of non-indigenous species. 

With  regard  to  the  implementation  of  MSFD,  Lithuania 
determined its good environmental status (GES) in 2012, 
but the Commission's assessment revealed that GES was 
inadequate  or  partially  adequate  for  a  majority  of 
descriptors. However, on the positive side, the attention 
given to seabird abundance is encouraging41. 

It is however too early to say whether Lithuanian marine 
waters are in good status because of these inadequacies 
in defining what ''good environmental status" is. 

Lithuania  established  a  monitoring  programme  of  its 
marine  waters  in  2014.  However  it  seems  that  its 
monitoring  programmes  for  all  descriptors  apart  from 
and 
hydrographical 
eutrophication, 
contaminants  in  seafood  need  further  refinement  to 
constitute an appropriate framework to monitor progress 
towards  GES  and  targets,  especially  since  Lithuania  also 
reports  that  its  monitoring  programme  will  not  be  in 
place before (or even after in many cases) 2020 for most 
descriptors42.  

changes 

Lithuanian marine protected areas covered 673.8 square 
kilometres of its marine waters in the Baltic Sea43. 
In  its  reports  on  the  implementation  of  the  MSFD44, 
the Commission  provided  guidance  to  assist  Lithuania  in 
its implementation of the Directive. 

The use and protection of marine areas of Lithuania are 
regulated by the Upgrading of the Comprehensive Plan of 
the  Republic  of  Lithuania  by  Marine  Areas,  approved  by 
the  Parliament  of  the  Republic  of  Lithuania  by  the 
Resolution No. XII-1781 on 11th of June, 2015. 

41 Report from the Commission "The first phase of implementation of 
the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (2008/56/EC) - The 
European Commission's assessment and guidance" COM(2014)097 
42 Commission Staff Working Document Accompanying the Commission 
Report assessing Member States' monitoring programmes under the 
Marine Strategy Framework Directive (COM(2017)3 and SWD(2017)1 
final) 

43 2012 Data provided by the European Environmental Agency to the 

European Commission– Not published 

44 Report from the Commission "The first phase of implementation of 
the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (2008/56/EC) - The 
European Commission's assessment and guidance" COM(2014)097 

Intensified 
is 
remediation  of  contaminated 
promoted  by  National  Environment  Protection  Strategy 
(2015)37 and Management Plan of Contaminated sites for 
2013-2023 approved by the Minister of Environment38. 

sites 

An  updated  inventory  and  assessment  of  soil  protection 
policy  instruments  in  Lithuania  and  other  EU  Member 
States is being performed by the EU Expert Group on Soil 
Protection. 

Marine protection 

The EU Coastal and Marine Policy and legislation require 
that by 2020 the impact of pressures on marine waters is 
reduced  to  achieve  or  maintain  good  environmental 
status and coastal zones are managed sustainably. 

SDG  14  requires  countries  to  conserve  and  sustainably 
use  the  oceans,  seas  and  marine  resources 
for 
sustainable development. 
The Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD)39 aims 
to  achieve  Good  Environmental  Status  (GES)  of  the  EU's 
marine  waters  by  2020  by  providing  an  ecosystem 
approach  to  the  management  of  human  activities  with 
impact  on  the  marine  environment.  The  Directive 
requires  Member  States  to  develop  and  implement  a 
marine  strategy  for  their  marine  waters,  and  cooperate 
with  Member  States  sharing  the  same  marine  region  or 
subregion. 

As part of their marine strategies, Member States had to 
make  an  initial  assessment  of  their  marine  waters, 
determine  GES40  and  establish  environmental  targets  by 
July  2012.  They  also  had  to  establish  monitoring 
programmes for the on-going assessment of their marine 
waters  by  July  2014.  The  next  element  of  their  marine 

36 Lithuanian Geological Survey. Annual Report, 2015. 
37 National Environment Protection Strategy 
38 Management Plan of Contaminated sites for 2013-2023 
39 European Union, Marine Strategy Framework Directive 2008/56/EC 
40 The MSFD defines Good Environmental Status (GES) in Article 3 as: 
“The environmental status of marine waters where these provide 
ecologically diverse and dynamic oceans and seas which are clean, 
healthy and productive”  

Environmental Implementation Report – Lithuania 

 
 
                                                            
   
                                                            
Suggested action 

Lithuania  14 

  Continue  work  to  improve  the  definitions  of  GES  in 
particular 
including 
for  biodiversity  descriptors, 
through regional cooperation by using the work of the 
relevant Regional Sea Convention. 
  Identify and address knowledge gaps. 
  Further 

(and 
approaches 
quantifying) impacts from the main pressures in order 
to  lead  to  improved  and  more  conclusive  assessment 
results for 2018 reporting. 

assessing 

develop 

  Continue to  integrate monitoring programmes already 
to 
joint  monitoring 
level,  for 

existing  under 
implement,  where 
programmes  developed  at  (sub)regional 
instance by HELCOM. 

legislation,  and 

relevant  EU 

they  exist, 

  Enhance  comparability  and  consistency  of  monitoring 

approaches within its marine region. 

  Urgently  report  and  implement  its  programme  of 

measures45.  

  Ensure that the monitoring programme is implemented 
is 
without  delay,  addresses  all  descriptors  and 
appropriate to monitor progress towards GES. 

45 As of 7.10.2016, Lithuania has not yet reported its programme of 

measures to the Commission. 

Environmental Implementation Report – Lithuania 

 
 
                                                            
3. Ensuring citizens' health and quality of life 

Lithuania  15 

Air quality  

The  EU  Clean  Air  Policy  and  legislation  require  that  air 
quality  in  the  Union  is  significantly  improved,  moving 
closer  to  the  WHO  recommended  levels.  Air  pollution 
and its impacts on ecosystems and biodiversity should be 
further reduced with the long-term aim of not exceeding 
critical  loads  and  levels.  This  requires  strengthening 
efforts  to  reach  full  compliance  with  Union  air  quality 
legislation  and  defining  strategic  targets  and  actions 
beyond 2020. 

The  EU  has  developed  a  comprehensive  suite  of  air 
legislation46,  which  establishes  health-based 
quality 
standards  and  objectives  for  a  number  of  air  pollutants. 
As  part  of  this,  Member  States  are  also  required  to 

the  currently  applicable  national  emission 

within 
ceilings48. 

At  the  same  time,  air  quality  in  Lithuania  continues  to 
give cause for concern. For the year 2013, the European 
Environment  Agency49  estimated  that  about  3  170 
premature  deaths  were  attributable  to  fine  particulate 
matter 
ozone 
concentrations51.  This  is  due  also  to  exceedances  above 
the EU air quality standards such as shown in Figure 952.   

concentrations50 

and 

90 

to 

For 2014, exceedances above the EU air quality standards 
have  been  registered  for  particulate  matter  in  one  air 
quality  zone  (Vilnius).  Furthermore,  exceedances  have 
been registered for long-term objectives regarding ozone 
concentration 
in  three  air  quality  zones  for  daily 
concentration  and  in  one  air  quality  zone  for  annual 

Figure 9: Attainment situation for PM10, NO2 and O3 in 2014 

that  up-to-date 

information  on  ambient 
ensure 
concentrations  of  different  air  pollutants  is  routinely 
made  available  to  the  public.  In  addition,  the  National 
Emission  Ceilings  Directive  provides 
for  emission 
reductions  at  national  level  that  should  be  achieved  for 
main pollutants. 

The  emission  of  several  air  pollutants  has  decreased 
significantly in Lithuania47. Reductions between 1990 and 
2014  for  sulphur  oxides  (-89%),  nitrogen  oxides  (-60%), 
ammonia  (-52%)  as  well  as  volatile  organic  compounds 
(-52%)  ensure  air  emissions  for  these  pollutants  are 

46 European Commission, 2016. Air Quality Standards 
47 See EIONET Central Data Repository and Air pollutant emissions data 

viewer (NEC Directive) 

48 The current national emission ceilings apply since 2010 (Directive 
2001/81/EC); revised ceilings for 2020 and 2030 have been set by 
Directive (EU) 2016/2284 on the reduction of national emissions of 
certain atmospheric pollutants, amending Directive 2003/35/EC and 
repealing Directive 2001/81/EC. 

49 European Environment Agency, 2016. Air Quality in Europe – 2016 
Report. (Table 10.2, please see details in this report as regards the 
underpinning    methodology). 

50 Particulate matter (PM) is a mixture of aerosol particles (solid and 
liquid) covering a wide range of sizes and chemical compositions. 
PM10 (PM2.5) refers to particles with a diameter of 10 (2.5) 
micrometres or less. PM is emitted from many human sources, 
including combustion. 

51 Low level ozone is produced by photochemical action on pollution 

and it is also a greenhouse gas 

52 Based on European Environment Agency, 2016. Air Quality in Europe 

– 2016 Report. (Figures 4.1, 5.1 and 6.1) 

Environmental Implementation Report – Lithuania 

 
 
                                                            
                                                            
 
Lithuania  16 

mean concentration53.  

It  has  been  estimated  that  the  health-related  external 
costs  from  air  pollution  in  Lithuania  are  above  EUR  1 
billion/year  (income  adjusted,  2010),  which  include  not 
only the intrinsic value of living a full health life but also 
direct costs to the economy. These direct economic costs 
relate  to  488  thousand  workdays  lost  each  year  due  to 
sickness related to air pollution, with associated costs for 
employers  of  EUR  37  million/year  (income  adjusted, 
2010),  for  healthcare  of  above  EUR  5  million/year 
(income adjusted, 2010), and for agriculture (crop losses) 
of EUR 17 million/year (2010)54. 

In 2014-2020, EUR 20 million of ESI funds are planned for 
actions  ensuring  better  air  quality  and 
integrated 
pollution prevention and control. 

Suggested action 

  Maintain  downward  emissions  trends  of  air  pollutants 
in order to achieve full compliance with air quality limit 
values  -  and  reduce  adverse  air  pollution  impacts  on 
health, environment and economy. 

  Reduce PM10 emission and concentration, inter alia, by 
reducing  emissions  related  to  energy  and  heat 
generation  using  solid  fuels,  to  transport  and  to 
agriculture. 

Noise 

The  Environmental  Noise  Directive  provides  for  a 
common  approach  for  the  avoidance,  prevention  and 
reduction  of  harmful  effects  due  to  exposure  to 
environmental noise. 

Excessive  noise  is  one  of  the  main  causes  of  health 
issues55.  To alleviate  this,  the  EU  acquis  sets  out  several 
requirements, 
including  assessing  the  exposure  to 
environmental  noise  through  noise  mapping,  ensuring 
that information on environmental noise and its effects is 
made  available  to  the  public,  and  adopting  action  plans 
with  a  view  to  preventing  and  reducing  environmental 
noise  where  necessary  and  to  preserving  the  acoustic 
environment quality where it is good. 

Lithuanian  authorities  have  fulfilled  all  their  obligations 
with  regards  to  the  Environmental  Noise  Directive56  for 
the current reporting period. 

53 See The EEA/Eionet Air Quality Portal and the related Central Data 

Repository 

54 These figures are based on the Impact Assessment for the European 

Commission Integrated Clean Air Package (2013) 

55 WHO/JRC, 2011, Burden of disease from environmental noise, 

Fritschi, L., Brown, A.L., Kim, R., Schwela, D., Kephalopoulos, S. (eds), 
World Health Organization, Regional Office for Europe, Copenhagen, 
Denmark 

56 The Noise Directive requires Member States to prepare and publish, 
every 5 years, noise maps and noise management action plans for 
agglomerations with more than 100,000 inhabitants, and for major 
roads, railways and airports.  

Water quality and management 

(including  surface  and  ground  waters) 

The  EU  water  policy  and  legislation  require  that  the 
impact  of  pressures  on  transitional,  coastal  and  fresh 
waters 
is 
significantly  reduced  to  achieve,  maintain  or  enhance 
good  status  of  water  bodies,  as  defined  by  the  Water 
Framework Directive; that citizens throughout the Union 
benefit from high standards for safe drinking and bathing 
water;  and  that  the  nutrient  cycle  (nitrogen  and 
phosphorus)  is  managed  in  a  more  sustainable  and 
resource-efficient way. 

SDG  6  encourages  countries  to  ensure  availability  and 
sustainable management of water and sanitation for all. 

The  main  overall  objective  of  EU  water  policy  and 
legislation  is  to  ensure  access  to  good  quality  water  in 
sufficient  quantity  for  all  Europeans.  The  EU  water 
acquis57  seeks  to  ensure  good  status  of  all  water  bodies 
across Europe by addressing pollution sources (from e.g. 
agriculture, urban areas and industrial activities), physical 
and  hydrological modifications  to  water  bodies)  and  the 
management of risks of flooding.  

River  Basin  Management  Plans 
(RBMPs)  are  a 
requirement  of  the  Water  Framework  Directive  and  a 
means  of  achieving  the  protection,  improvement  and 
sustainable use of the water environment across Europe. 
This includes surface freshwaters such as lakes and rivers, 
groundwater,  estuaries  and  coastal  waters  up  to  one 
nautical mile. 

In  its  first  generation  of  RBMPs  Lithuania  reported 
the status  of  832  rivers,  354  lakes,  4  transitional,  2 
coastal  and  20  groundwater  bodies58.  50%  of  natural 
surface  water  bodies  achieve  a  good  or  high  ecological 
status59  and  only  37%  of  heavily  modified  or  artificial 
water  bodies60  achieve  a  good  or  high  ecological 
potential.  Almost  100%  of  surface  water  bodies,  almost 
100% of heavily modified and artificial water bodies and 
100%  of  groundwater  bodies  achieve  good  chemical 
status61. Though 100% of groundwater bodies are in good 

57 This includes the Bathing Waters Directive (2006/7/EC); the Urban 

Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC) concerning 
discharges of municipal and some industrial waste waters; the 
Drinking Water Directive (98/83/EC) concerning potable water 
quality; the Water Framework Directive (2000/60/EC) concerning 
water resources management; the Nitrates Directive (91/676/EEC) 
and the Floods Directive (2007/60/EC) 

58 For groundwater, a precautionary approach has been taken that 

comprises a prohibition on direct discharges to groundwater, and a 
requirement to monitor groundwater bodies. 

59 Good ecological status is defined in the Water Framework Directive 

referring to the quality of the biological community, the hydrological 
characteristics and the chemical characteristics. 

60 Many European river basins and waters have been altered by human 
activities, such as land drainage, flood protection, and, building of 
dams to create reservoirs. 

61 Good chemical status is defined in the Water Framework Directive 

referring to compliance with all the quality standards established for 
chemical substances at European level. 

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quantitative  and  chemical  status,  and  5  groundwater 
bodies  are  classified  as  “groundwater  bodies  at  risk” 
because  of  mineral  water  intrusion  to  drinking  water 
aquifers. 

not possible to assess the remaining 5 bathing waters.64  
Figure 10: Bathing water quality 2012–1565 

Lithuania  17 

The  main  pressure  for  the  Lithuanian  surface  water  is 
diffuse  pollution62  mainly  from  agriculture  that  affects 
26% of water bodies on average.  

The Lithuanian RBMPs have a number of deficiencies that 
result  in  uncertainties  about  the  status,  pressures  and 
effectiveness  of  Programmes  of  Measures.  In  particular 
there  were  weaknesses  in  monitoring  and  methods  for 
assessment  and  classification  of  both  the  ecological  and 
chemical  status.  A  high  number  of  exemptions  were 
applied  without  transparent  justification.  The  planned 
measures  are  expected 
significant 
improvement  of  ecological  potential  of  artificial  and 
heavily modified water bodies by 24% and improvement 
of ecological status by 7% for natural water bodies. 

result 

to 

in 

Lithuania  applies  its  Nitrates  Action  Programme  (NAP) 
throughout  its  territory  which  provides  a  basic  level  of 
protection for all waters. The current Action Programme 
expired  on  1  May  2016.  According  to  the  last  report  on 
the implementation of the Nitrates Directive (referring to 
the period 2008-2011), there are low levels of nitrate in 
surface  water  and  groundwater  but  high 
levels  of 
eutrophication  in  rivers.  Protection  of  the  Baltic  Sea  is 
also  an 
issue  (all  saline  waters  were  reported  as 
eutrophic). 

As  regards  drinking  water,  Lithuania  reaches  very  high 
for  microbiological, 
compliance 
chemical  and 
in 
laid  down 
the Drinking Water Directive63. 

indicator  parameters 

rates  of  99-100% 

Figure  10  shows  that  in  2015  in  Lithuania  out  of  112 
bathing waters, 85.7% were of excellent quality, 8.0% of 
good  quality  and  0.9%  of  sufficient  quality.  1  bathing 
water was of poor quality or non-compliant while it was 

With  a  total  generated  load  of  2.7  million  population 
equivalents (p.e.), the final deadline to fully comply with 
the Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (UWWTD) in 
Lithuania  was end 2009 for all  67  agglomerations  above 
2000  p.e.  It  should  be  noted  that  all  the  Lithuanian 
territory  is  considered  as  sensitive,  i.e.,  more  stringent 
treatment  is  applicable  in  all  the  agglomerations  whose 
size  is  above10000  p.e.  On  the  basis  of  the  latest  data 
available  (2011),  Lithuania  demonstrates  very  high 
compliance rates with the Urban Waste Water Treatment 
Directive (with rates of 100% for both collection (Article 3 
UWWTD)  and  secondary  treatment  (Article  4  UWWTD)) 
and  96.6%  of  the  waste  water  load  collected  subject  to 
more stringent treatment in accordance with Article 5 of 
the  UWWTD.66  However,  and  despite  the  general  good 
results,  it  should  be  noted  that  10.2%  of  the  above-
mentioned total p.e. is addressed via individual or other 
protect 
appropriateness 
systems 
the environment might be questionable. 

whose 

to 

EU  structural  and  investment  funds  are  an  important 
source of funding for water sector in Lithuania. In 2007-
2013  around  570  million  EUR  were  invested  into  the 
waste water collection and treatment system.  

In  2014-2020,  around  125  million  EUR  are  planned  for 
water  management  measures  that  will  help  to  further 
develop  waste  water  collection  and  treatment  systems 
and improve environmental status of at least 20 surface 
water bodies. 

64 European Environment Agency, 2016. European bathing water quality 

in 2015, p. 26 

65 European Environment Agency, State of bathing water – country 

62 Diffuse pollution comes from widespread activities with no one 

report Lithuania, 2016 

discrete source. 

63 Commission's Synthesis Report on the Quality of Drinking Water in 
the Union examining Member States' reports for the 2011-2013 
period, foreseen under Article 13(5) of Directive 98/83/EC; 
COM(2016)666  

66 European Commission, Eighth Report on the Implementation Status 
and the Programmes for Implementation (as required by Article 17) 
of Council Directive 91/271/EEC concerning Urban Waste Water 
treatment Directive (COM /2016/105 final) and Commission Staff 
Working Document accompanying the report (SWD/2016/45 final). 

Environmental Implementation Report – Lithuania 

 
                                                            
 
                                                            
Lithuania  18 

The  Member  States,  European  institutions,  cities  and 
stakeholders have prepared a new Urban Agenda for the 
EU  (incorporating  the  Smart  Cities  initiative)  to  tackle 
these  issues  in  a  comprehensive  way,  including  their 
connections with social and economic challenges. At the 
heart  of  this  Urban  Agenda  will  be  the  development  of 
twelve  partnerships  on  the  identified  urban  challenges, 
including air quality and housing68.  

The  European  Commission  will 
benchmark system in 201769. 

launch  a  new  EU 

The  EU  stimulates  green  cities  through  awards  and 
funding,  such  as  the  EU  Green  Capital  Award  aimed  at 
cities  with  more  than  100,000  inhabitants  and  the  EU 
Green  Leaf  initiative  aimed  at  cities  and  towns,  with 
between 20,000 and 100,000 inhabitants.  
67  %  of  Lithuanian  residents  live  in  urban  areas.70.  The 
capital city (Vilnius) has over 500 000 inhabitants, second 
tier  cities 
(Kaunas,  Klaipėda,  Šiauliai)  are  smaller. 
Lithuanian urban areas are evenly distributed throughout 
the  territory  of  the  country  and  are  easily  accessible71. 
Lithuanian  cities  are  rich  in  green  space.  Green  Cities 
Index  produced  by  Siemens  and 
the  Economist 
Intelligence  Unit  ranked  Vilnius  as  one  of  30  Europe’s 
greenest cities72. 

largest  city 

in  Lithuania,  with  a 
Kaunas,  the  2nd 
population  of  353,800 
inhabitants)  was  amongst 
applicant  countries  for  European  Green  Capital  Award 
2015.  

Major Lithuanian cities are densifying the existing urban 
areas  (low  percentage  of  built-up  areas)73  indicating  the 
potential for these cities to grow. A current challenge to 
major  cities  is  negative  externalities  of  agglomeration 
(unregulated  urban  growth  with  major 
specific 
environmental  problems,  such  as  derelict  urban  areas 
with  technical  infrastructure,  the  poor  quality  of  air, 
noise, traffic jams). Cities municipalities lack funds for the 
implementation  of  masterplans,  management  of  public 
spaces  and  blocks  of  multi-apartment  buildings, 
improvement  of 
communication  and  engineering 
infrastructure,  or  for  taking  care  of  derelict  urban  areas 
that require a change in their use.  

Kaunas  city  municipality  has  invested  in  city  public 
transport,  and  also  participated  in  various  EU  programs 
(CIVITAS,  BSR  INTERREG,  IEE).    It  installed  an electronic 

68 http://urbanagendaforthe.eu/ 
69 The Commission is developing an Urban Benchmarking and 

Monitoring ('UBaM') tool to be launched in 2017. Best practices 
emerge and these will be better disseminated via the app featuring 
the UBaM tool, and increasingly via e.g. EUROCITIES, ICLEI, CEMR, 
Committee of the Regions, Covenant of Mayors and others. 

70 Statistics Lithuania, Official Statistics Portal 
71 The National Environmental Protection Strategy, 2015 
72 Green Cities Index, 2010 
73 ESPON Future Orientations for Cities (FOCI), Final Scientific Report, 

Suggested action 

  The  RBMP  measures  should  address  all  relevant 
in  particular 
agricultural  pollution  by 

pressures  and 
measures 
nutrients. Measures should be properly financed. 

implementation  gaps 

addressing 

  Properly  assess  new  modifications  of  water  bodies 
according to article 4(7) of the WFD, as well as review 
the 
and 
hydromorphological pressure in its river basins. 

its  measures 

improve 

reduce 

to 

Enhancing the sustainability of cities  

The  EU  Policy  on  the  urban  environment  encourages 
cities  to 
implement  policies  for  sustainable  urban 
planning and design, including innovative approaches for 
urban  public 
sustainable 
buildings,  energy  efficiency  and  urban  biodiversity 
conservation.  

transport  and  mobility, 

SDG11  aims  at  making  cities  and  human  settlements 
inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable. 

Europe is a Union of cities and towns; around 75% of the 
EU  population  are  living  in  urban  areas.67  The  urban 
environment  poses  particular  challenges 
the 
environment  and  human  health,  whilst  also  providing 
opportunities and efficiency gains in the use of resources.  

for 

67 European Environment Agency, Urban environment 

2010 

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payment  method  for  the  benefit  of  public  transport 
passengers.  Passengers  using  a  single  monthly  E-ticket 
scheme (operating on radio-frequency identification) can 
pre-pay for journeys on buses as well as parking services 
in the city.  

Lithuania  19 

  Development  and  use  of  research,  innovation  and 

towards 

sustainable 

solutions on urban issues. 
urban 
Vilnius 
is  moving 
regeneration76.  This 
involves  a number  of  projects, 
including the regeneration project ‘Park of Architecture" 
(i.e.  decontamination  of  a  78  ha  brownfield  site, 
construction of green spaces, etc.); and the regeneration 
of  "Žirmūnai  Tringle",  which  concerns  a  52  hectare 
neighbourhood  in  a  strategic  location  of  Vilnius.  It 
involves  energy-efficient  renovation,  safeguarding  green 
spaces, expanding bicycle and pedestrian infrastructures. 
"Žirmūnai  Triangle"  is  being  carried  out  as  a  pilot 
regeneration  project,  which  could  be 
innovative 
subsequently applied in other parts of Lithuania. 

is 

currently 

Conversion  of  former  industrial  and  utility  areas  to 
residential/commercial 
being 
areas 
intensified  (Naujamiestis,  Markučiai,  Saltoniškės),  also 
conversion  of  abandoned  industrial  areas  to  the  service 
facilities  or  residential  areas  (between  Kalvarijų  and 
Verkių  streets,  Savanorių  Avenue,  Naujamiestis).  New 
squares  have  been  equipped  in  Old  town,  Bernardinai 
garden has been renovated77.  

Klaipėda  has  successful  implementation  of  industrial 
development  through  potential  of  Klaipėdos  FEZ  and 
Klaipėdos  State  Seaport  (Industrial  park  development)74. 
In 2013 Klaipėda was declared a Cycling Friendly City by 
the 
and 
Communications.  

Lithuanian  Ministry 

Transport 

of 

Šiauliai  participates 
improving their energy characteristics of Lithuania".  

in  the  project  "Urban  renewal 

The  most  successful  municipalities  apply 
integrated 
methods  of  spatial  planning  for  the  management  of 
urban  environment  (Vilnius,  Kaunas,  Klaipėda  have 
started  to  prepare  sustainable  urban  mobility  plans). 
Some  municipalities  have  no  territorial  master  plans  for 
municipal centres. This situation leads to an erratic socio-
economic  development,  complicates 
investment  and 
intensifies the uneven development of areas.  
The  National  Environmental  Protection  Strategy75  has 
been drown up in order to establish horizontal long-term 
environmental  objectives  and  will  serve  as  the  basis  for 
the  environmental  pillar  of  Lithuania’s  sustainable 
development.  Key  policy  implementing  directions  for 
urban environment covers: 

  Promotion of sustainable planning of cities and peri-

urban territories;  

  Promotion  of  the  development  and  implementation 
of sustainable urban transport communication plans 
for  the  purpose  of  reducing  an  adverse  impact  on 
human  health  and  the  environment  (air  pollution, 
noise, traffic jams and greenhouse gas emissions); 

A  number  of  initiatives  are  covered  under  the  Union  of 
the  Baltic  Cities  Sustainable  Cities  Commission,  which  is 
a voluntary network of its member cities of the Baltic Sea 
Region  addressing  a  number  of 
including 
environmentally  sustainable  development.  This  includes 
such  initiatives  as  integrated  management  systems  and 
spatial  management,  urban  water  management, 
maritime activities and sustainable urban mobility. 

issues, 

Furthermore,  already  in  2009  Lithuania  has  signed  an 
Investment  Bank  to 
agreement  with  the  European 
strengthen  co-operation  in  financing  sustainable  urban 
development.  

International agreements  

The  EU  Treaties  require  that  the  Union  policy  on  the 
environment  promotes  measures  at  the  international 
level  to  deal  with  regional  or  worldwide  environmental 
problems. 

Most  environmental  problems  have  a  transboundary 
nature  and  often  a  global  scope  and  they  can  only  be 
addressed effectively through international co-operation. 
International  environmental  agreements  concluded  by 
the Union are binding upon the institutions of the Union 
and  on  its Member  States.  This  requires  the  EU and  the 
Member  States  to  sign,  ratify  and  effectively  implement 
all  relevant  multilateral  environmental  agreements 
(MEAs) in a timely manner. This will also be an important 
contribution  towards  the  achievement  of  the  SDGs, 
which Member States committed to in 2015 and include 

74 
Klaipėda Master Plan monitoring report, 2007-2014  
75 The National Environmental Protection Strategy, 2015 

76 The path towards sustainable urban regeneration in Vilnius, URBACT 

II Capitalisation, April 2015 

77 Reconstruction of the Park of Sereikiškės, Technical project.  

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Lithuania  20 

many  commitments  contained  already  in  legally  binding 
agreements. 

The  fact  that  some  Member  States  did  not  sign  and/or 
ratify  a  number  of  MEAs  compromises  environmental 
implementation,  including  within  the  Union,  as  well  as 
in  related  negotiations  and 
the  Union’s  credibility 
international  meetings  where 
the 
participation of third countries to such agreements is an 
established  EU  policy  objective.  In  agreements  where 
voting takes place it has a direct impact on the number of 
votes to be cast by the EU.  

supporting 

Lithuania  has signed and ratified  almost  all MEAs. It has 
signed but not yet ratified the Nagoya Protocol78.  

78 Protocol on Access to Genetic Resources and the Fair and Equitable 

Sharing of Benefits Arising from their Utilization to the Convention on 
Biological Diversity. 

Environmental Implementation Report – Lithuania 

 
 
 
                                                            
Part II: Enabling Framework: Implementation Tools 

4. Market based instruments and investment  

Lithuania  21 

Green taxation and environmentally harmful 
subsidies  

The Circular Economy Action Plan encourages the use of 
financial  incentives  and  economic  instruments,  such  as 
taxation  to  ensure  that  product  prices  better  reflect 
environmental costs. The phasing out of environmentally 
harmful  subsidies  is  monitored  in  the  context  of  the 
European  Semester  and  in  national  reform  programmes 
submitted by Member States. 

Taxing pollution and resource use can generate increased 
revenue  and  bring  important  social  and  environmental 
benefits. 

While  Lithuania  has  broadened  its  tax  base,  however,  it 
remains  one  of  MS  having  relatively  high  tax  burden  on 
labour.  There  is  a  scope  to  shift  the  tax  burden  to  less 
distortive taxes such as, inter alia, environmental taxes.   

lowest 

In 2014, the ratio of tax revenues to GDP in Lithuania is 
in  the  EU,  while  at  the  same  time 
the 
environmental  taxes,  as  a  potential  source  of  revenues, 
remain  unexploited.  After  a  large  drop  in  the  share  of 
environmental taxes from 2.8% of GDP in 2004 to 1.7% in 
2011,  it  remained  stagnant  in  2014.  In  the  same  year 
environmental tax revenues accounted for 6.13% of total 
revenues from taxes and social-security contributions (EU 
28 average: 6.35%)79 as shown in Figure 11.  

The  largest  proportion  of  the  revenue  derived  from 
environmentally-related  taxation  is  obtained  through 
energy  taxes.  Pollution/resource  and  transport  taxes 
fuels)  have  produced  smaller 
(excluding  transport 
revenue  streams  with  each  group  of  taxes  constituting 
around 3% of environmental taxes. Taxes on transport in 
Lithuania  are  the  lowest  in  the  EU,  and  besides  a  low 
level,  they  do  not  take  into  account  the  environmental 
performance of vehicles80.  

The  progress  shifting  tax  burden  from  labour  to  other 
less distortive taxes has been limited in Lithuania. Certain 
issues,  such  as  the  absence  of  vehicle  taxation,  still 
persist.  

In particular, Lithuania is among the few Member States 
without  any  form  of  private  passenger  car  taxation  or 
road-use  tax  for  private  passenger  vehicles.  In  addition, 
Lithuania has a large share of old cars in the existing car 
fleet  and  the  emissions  of  newly  registered  cars  in 

79 Eurostat, Environmental tax revenues, accessed June 2016 
80 Taxation trends in the EU (Eurostat, 2014); Tax Reforms in EU 

Member States 2014 (TAXUD) 

Lithuania are well above the EU average81.  

Figure  11:  Environmental  tax  revenues  as  a  share  of 
total  revenues  from  taxes  and  social  contributions 
(excluding imputed social contributions) in 201482 

The previously abandoned debate on the introduction of 
car taxation in Lithuania restarted in 2015. In March 2015 
the  Minister  of  Transport  expressed  his  support  to  the 
In  July,  the  Ministry  of 
introduction  of  such  tax. 
Environment  has  carried  out  a  feasibility  study  to 
investigate the possibilities of introducing car taxation on 
private  passenger  cars83,84.  It  recommends  introduction 
of  environmental car  circulation  tax  with  the  calculation 

81 The average age of passenger cars in Lithuania is around 15 years 
while it is between 7 and 8 years in the EU   (Source: DG ECFIN 
Country  Focus, Vol. 12, 2014. New passenger car missions are 135.82 
g CO2/km against the EU average of 123.40 g CO2/km (Source: EEA, 
2014, provisional values). 

82 Eurostat, Environmental tax revenues, accessed October 2016 
83 Commission Staff Working Document, Country Report Lithuania 2016  
84 “Development of the criteria for determining the rates of vehicle 

circulation tax and formulation of recommendations for the taxation 
of vehicles in Lithuania”, July 2015, Summary report. 

Environmental Implementation Report – Lithuania 

 
 
                                                            
 
                                                            
 
 
of  the  tariffs  based  on  CO2  emissions  and  type  of  fuel, 
and estimates that such tax could bring up to 76.6 million 
EUR a year.  

Besides  the  additional  revenues,  the  introduction  of  car 
taxation  would  also  help  addressing  energy  and  carbon 
efficiency  issues  (the  Baltics  being  amongst  the  most 
energy–intensive  in  the  EU),  support  a  modal  shift  from 
private  to  public  transport,  as  well  as  reduce  the  very 
in  road  accidents85.  
high  number  of  people  killed 
Circulation tax differentiated by CO2 emissions and other 
pollutants  such  as  particulates,  as  well  as  a  dynamic 
bonus malus system for car registration implemented in a 
socially  acceptable  manner  could  positively  influence 
future decisions on purchasing new vehicles, while at the 
same time could bring considerable additional revenues.  

Excise duties on motor fuel, petrol and diesel in Lithuania 
are among the lowest in EU. The overall implicit tax rate 
on energy is the 3rd lowest in the EU-28.86 

No  major  progress  has  been  made 
regarding 
environmental taxation over the last years. A landfill tax 
(with a progressive increase from 3 EUR/t to 27.51 EUR/t 
for non-hazardous waste, and from 47.79 EUR/t to 70.96 
EUR/t for hazardous waste until 2020) and excise duties 
on  natural  gas  (used  as  a  heating  fuel)  have  been 
introduced  from  January  2016.  The  landfill  tax  could 
encourage resource efficiency in waste management and 
divert waste from landfill 

Indeed,  a  2016  study  shows  there 
is  considerable 
potential for shifting taxes from labour to environment87. 
Under  a  good  practice  scenario88,  these  taxes  could 
generate an additional EUR 0.36 billion by 2018, rising to 
EUR 0.76 billion by 2030 (both in real 2015 terms). This is 
equivalent to an increase by 0.85% and 1.22% of GDP in 
2018 and 2030, respectively.  

In  2014,  a  study  on  the  “Naming  of  environmentally 
harmful  subsidies,  and  determination  of  their  common 
in  the  tax  system  setting.  Methodology  for 
values 

85 Passenger car taxation in Baltics (ECFIN country focus):"the renewal 

of the car fleet and the reduction in engine power and car mass could 
help reduce other externalities such as the very high number of 
people killed in road accidents in the Baltic States". In 2013, Lithuania 
had the 4th of the highest number of road deaths in the EU – 85 
fatalities per million inhabitants, way above the EU average of 52 
(ref.  Road Safety in the European Union (2015)). 

86 EUROSTAT (Code: tsdcc360) 
87  Eunomia  Research  and  Consulting,  IEEP,  Aarhus  University,  ENT, 
2016.  Study on Assessing the Environmental Fiscal Reform Potential 
for the EU28. N.B. National governments are responsible for setting 
tax  rates  within  the  EU  Single  Market  rules  and  this  report  is  not 
suggesting  concrete  changes  as  to  the  level  of  environmental 
taxation.  It  merely  presents  the  findings  of  the  2016  study  by 
Eunomia et al on the potential benefits various environmental taxes 
could bring. It is then for the national authorities to assess this study 
and their concrete impacts in the national context. A first step in this 
respect,  already  done  by  a  number  of  Member  States,  is  to  set  up 
expert groups to assess these and make specific proposals. 
88 The good practice scenario means benchmarking to a successful 

taxation practice in another Member State. 

Lithuania  22 

in  Lithuania.  The  study  has 

evaluation  of  environmentally  harmful  subsidies”  was 
carried  out 
identified 
37 environmentally  harmful  subsidies 
in  Lithuania, 
composing  of  79%  of  the  National  budget  subsidies  and 
22%  of  EU  support  subsidies.  The  study  proposed  to 
review  the  tax  subsidy  incentives,  which  are  related  to 
natural  resources,  mobile  pollution  sources  and  energy 
products gradually abandoning them.  

Green Public Procurement  

The  EU  green  public  procurement  policies  encourage 
Member States to take further steps to reach the target 
of applying green procurement criteria to at least 50% of 
public tenders. 

Green  Public  Procurement  (GPP)  is  a  process  whereby 
public  authorities  seek  to  procure  goods,  services  and 
works  with  a  reduced  environmental  impact  throughout 
their  life-cycle  when  compared  to  goods,  services  and 
works  with  the  same  primary  function  that  would 
otherwise be procured.  

this  money 

The  purchasing  power  of  public  procurement  in  the  EU 
equals to approximately 14% of GDP89. A substantial part 
of 
is  spent  on  sectors  with  high 
environmental impact such as construction or transport, 
so  GPP  can  help  to  significantly  lower  the  impact  of 
public  spending  and 
innovative 
businesses.  The  Commission  has  proposed  EU  GPP 
criteria90. 

foster  sustainable 

A National Action Plan (NAP) or National Strategy on GPP 
is in force, and the implementation measures of GPP for 
the  period  2016−2020  was  approved  in  October  2015. 
GPP  criteria  are  developed  at  the  national  level  for 
environmental  criteria  for  26  products  attributed  to 
4 groups91, 
the  Ministry  of 
Environment92. A previous aim was to achieve 35% green 
public  procurement  contracts  of  all  public  contracts  for 
goods,  services  and  works,  for  the  purchase  of  which 
core 
(advisable) 
environmental criteria are established in 2015.93 

(mandatory)  and 

see  webpage 

comprehensive 

for 

According  to  a  2010  study,  10%  and  20%  of  Lithuanian 
authorities  included  GPP  requirements  in  between  50% 
and 100% of their contracts94. 

89 European Commission, 2015. Public procurement 
90 In the Communication “Public procurement for a better environment” 
(COM /2008/400) the Commission recommended the creation of a 
process for setting common GPP criteria. The basic concept of GPP 
relies on having clear, verifiable, justifiable and ambitious 
environmental criteria for products and services, based on a life-cycle 
approach and scientific evidence base. 

91 European Commission, 2015. Documentation on National GPP Action 

Plans 

92 Ministry of Environment, Environmental criteria por public 

procurement 

93 European Commission, 2015. Documentation on National GPP Action 

Plans 

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Lithuania  23 

habitats to attain better conservation status. 

In  addition,  970  million  EUR  (or  13,5%  of  ERDF  and  CF) 
are earmarked for the shift to low carbon technologies in 
all  sectors, 
including  support  to  energy  efficiency, 
increase  of  the  use  of  renewable  energy  sources, 
sustainable transport and urban mobility measures. 

It is too early to draw conclusions as regards the use and 
results  of  ESIF  funds  for  the  period  2014-2020,  as  the 
relevant  programmes  are  still  in  an  early  stage  of  their 
implementation. Current data suggest that the EU funds 
for  the  2007-2013  period  were  almost  fully  spent. 
However,  Lithuania  would  benefit  from  more  targeted 
investments. 

Figure  12:  European  Structural  and  Investment  Funds 
2014-2020: Budget Lithuania by theme, EUR billion98 

According  to  a  2011  survey,  Lithuanian  authorities 
included at least one of the EU core green criteria in 56% 
of  the  contracts,  and  33%  of  the  contracts  included  all 
the relevant EU core green criteria.95. 

No data is available in regard to the achievement of this 
goal.  

Investments: the contribution of EU funds 

European  Structural  and  Investment  Funds  Regulations 
provide  that  Member  States  promote  environment  and 
funding  strategies  and 
climate  objectives 
programmes 
territorial 
cohesion,  rural  development  and  maritime  policy,  and 
reinforce the capacity of implementing bodies to deliver 
cost-effective and sustainable investments in these areas. 

in  their 
for  economic, 

social  and 

Making  good  use  of  the  European  Structural  and 
Investment  Funds  (ESIF)96  is  essential  to  achieve  the 
environmental goals and integrate these into other policy 
areas.  Other  instruments  such  as  the  Horizon  2020,  the 
LIFE  programme 
support 
and 
implementation and spread off best practice. 

EFSI  may 

also 

Lithuania,  through  3  national  and  regional  programmes, 
benefits  from  ESIF  funding  of  EUR 8.4 billion  over  the 
period 2014-2020 (see Figure 12)97.  

The biggest share – EUR 3.5 billion (41.8%) of funding is 
coming 
for  Regional 
the  European  Fund 
Development (ERDF). 

from 

EUR 1.6 billion (19.2%) – from the European Agricultural 
Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD). 

EUR 1.1  billion  (13.4%)  -  from  the  European  Social  Fund 
(ESF). 

EUR 63.4 million (0.8%) from the European Maritime and 
Fisheries Fund (EMFF) and 

EUR 2.1 billion (24.4%) - from the Cohesion Fund (CF). 

The  environmental  expenditure  estimates  to  around  1 
billion  EUR  or  18%  of  the  total  ERDF  and  CF  (based  on 
categories  of  expenditure).  These  investments  target 
water,  waste,  air,  biodiversity  and  nature,  sustainable 
urban transport. Among  other things  the EU  investment 
will help to reduce landfilling of municipal waste to 35% 
in  2023  (60%  in  2014),  develop  additional  municipal 
waste separate collection and recycling capacity (150.000 
and  100.000  tons  a  year  respectively),  ensure  improved 
water  supply  and  wastewater  management  services  for 
60.000 persons, support 1,150 hectares of surface area of 

95 CEPS, 2012. Monitoring the Uptake of GPP in the EU 
96 ESIF comprises five funds – the European Regional Development 
Funds (ERDF), the Cohesion Fund (CF), the European Social Fund 
(ESF), the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development 
(EAFRD), and the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF). The 
ERDF, the CF and the ESF together form the Cohesion Policy funds. 
97 European Commission : European Structural and Investment Funds 

Country Data for Lithuania 

through 

In  total,  EUR 960 million  a  dedicated  to  the  Thematic 
objective  (TO)  6  Environment  Protection  and  Resource 
efficiency,  EUR  539.3  million 
the  CF,  
the  EAFRD  programme, 
EUR 214.1 million 
the  ERDF  programmes, 
EUR 189.6 million 
EUR 17.6  million 
In  addition, 
the  EMFF. 
EUR 1.1 billion is foreseen for TO4  Low Carbon Economy 
(ERDF,  CF,  EMFF  and  EAFRD)  and  EUR 322.9  million  for 
TO5  Climate  Change  Adoption  and  Risk  Prevention 
(EAFRD, CF and ERDF).  

through 
through 
through 

98 European Commission, European Structural and Investment Funds 

Data By Country 

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Lithuania  24 

With regard to the integration of environmental concerns 
into  the  Common  Agricultural  Policy  (CAP),  the  two  key 
areas  for  Lithuania  (as  for  all  Member  States)  are,  first, 
using Rural Development funds to pay for environmental 
land  management  and  other  environmental  measures, 
while  avoiding  financing  measures  which  could  damage 
the environment;  and  secondly,  ensuring  an  effective 
implementation of the first pillar of the CAP with regard 
to cross compliance and 1st pillar 'greening'.  

is  dedicated 

The  approved  National  Rural  Development  Program 
to  EUR  1.613  billion. 
(EARDF)  amounts  overall 
The planned  spending  on  the  ecosystem  priority 
is 
EUR 0.431 billion,  which  represents  26.7%  of  the  total 
budget,  but  only  EUR 0.179  billion,  11.1%  of  the  total 
budget 
to  agri-environment-climate 
measures. It is recognised that environment and climate 
measures  proposed  in  the  RDP,  with  adequate  uptake 
and  now 
improved  funding,  have  the  potential  to 
contribute  to  addressing  the  environmental  problems 
identified.  The  RDP  contribution  to  the  delivery  of 
the required  regulatory  outcomes  of  "good  status  of 
water" and the "good conservation status of species and 
habitats"  needs  to  be  aligned  further  and  monitored  as 
the program evolves especially in the context of potential 
  Lithuania  should 
increased  agricultural 
strengthen  the  development  of  biodiversity  aspects  in 
the Rural Development Programme.   

intensity. 

The Direct Payment envelope of Lithuania for the period 
2015-2020 is EUR 2.336 billion, (according to Commission 
delegated regulation (EU) No 994/2014 of 13 May 2014), 
30%  of  which  (EUR  0.701  billion)  being  allocated  to 
for  the  environment. 
greening  practices  beneficial 
implementation  of  1st 
An environmentally  ambitious 
pillar  greening  would  clearly  help  to 
improve  the 
environmental  situation  in  areas  not  covered  by  rural 
development, including intensive area, and if appropriate 
Lithuania could review its implementation of this. 

Environmental Implementation Report – Lithuania 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
6. Effective governance and knowledge 

Lithuania  25 

SDG  16  aims  at  providing  access  to  justice  and  building 
effective,  accountable  and  inclusive  institutions  at  all 
levels. SDG 17 aims at better implementation, improving 
policy  coordination  and  policy  coherence,  stimulating 
science, 
innovation,  establishing 
partnerships and developing measurements of progress. 

technology 

and 

Effective governance of EU environmental legislation and 
policies  requires  having  an  appropriate 
institutional 
framework,  policy  coherence  and  coordination,  applying 
legal  and  non-legal  instruments,  engaging  with  non-
governmental  stakeholders,  and  having  adequate  levels 
of  knowledge  and  skills99.  Successful  implementation 
depends, to a large extent, on central, regional and local 
government  fulfilling  key  legislative  and  administrative 
tasks,  notably  adoption  of 
implementing 
legislation,  co-ordinated  action  to  meet  environmental 
objectives  and  correct  decision-making  on  matters  such 
as  industrial  permits.  Beyond  fulfilment  of  these  tasks, 
government  must 
to  ensure  day-to-day 
compliance  by  economic  operators,  utilities  and 
individuals  ("compliance  assurance").  Civil  society  also 
has  a  role  to  play,  including  through  legal  action.  To 
underpin the roles of all actors, it is crucial to collect and 
share  knowledge  and  evidence  on  the  state  of  the 
environment  and  on  environmental  pressures,  drivers 
and impacts. 

intervene 

sound 

Equally,  effective  governance  of  EU  environmental 
legislation  and  policies  benefits  from  a  dialogue  within 
Member  States  and  between  Member  States  and  the 
Commission  on  whether  the  current  EU  environmental 
legislation  is  fit  for  purpose.  Legislation  can  only  be 
properly 
into  account 
experiences  at  Member  State  level  with  putting  EU 
commitments  into  effect.  The  Make  it  Work  initiative,  a 
Member  State  driven  project,  established 
in  2014, 
organizes a discussion on how the clarity, coherence and 
structure  of  EU  environmental 
legislation  can  be 
improved without lowering existing protection standards. 

implemented  when 

it  takes 

Effective governance within central, regional 
and local government 

Those  involved  in  implementing  environment  legislation 
at  Union,  national,  regional  and  local  levels  need  to  be 
equipped  with  the  knowledge,  tools  and  capacity  to 
improve  the  delivery  of  benefits  from  that  legislation, 
and the governance of the enforcement process. 

Capacity to implement rules 
federal, 
It 

crucial 

that 

is 

regional  and 

local 

administrations  have  the  necessary  capacities  and  skills 
and training to carry out their own tasks and co-operate 
and  co-ordinate  effectively  with  each  other,  within  a 
system of multi-level governance. 

reforms  and 

In  the  2014-2020  programming  period  is  foreseen  to 
allocate  EUR  150  million  (or  13.3%  from  the  ESF)  at 
increasing 
the  efficiency  of  public  administration 
institutions,  developing  and  executing  national  public 
administration 
implementing  one  of 
the Council  recommendations  related  to  the  reform  of 
state-owned 
include 
strengthening 
governance, 
increasing  transparency  and  openness  of  the  public 
improving  the  quality  of 
administration  processes, 
services  and  make  them  more  customer-oriented, 
improving  business 
regulation  environment,  and 
improving management of human resources in the public 
service.100 

result-orientation 

enterprises. 

Specific 

action 

of 

The government of Lithuania has recognised the strategic 
importance  of  civic  engagement  in  law-making,  policy 
making,  and  service  delivery;  and  has  established 
a conducive legal framework and multiple mechanisms to 
support 
it.  Nevertheless,  citizens’  engagement  rates 
remain fairly low.101 

The  basic  principles  of  environmental  protection  are 
established 
in  the  Constitution  of  the  Republic  of 
Lithuania,  stipulating  that  the  state  and  the  individual 
must  protect  the  environment  from  harmful  influences 
and  the  state  shall  take  care  of  the  protection  of 
the natural  environment,  wildlife  and  plants,  individual 
objects of nature and areas  of particular value and shall 
supervise  a  sustainable  use  of  natural  resources,  their 
restoration  and 
in 
the Republic  of  Lithuania,  environmental  governance  is 
the concern and duty of the Parliament, the Government, 

law  states  that, 

increase.  The 

99 The Commission has work ongoing to improve the country-specific 
knowledge about quality and functioning of the administrative 
systems of Member States. 

100 Lithuanian Operational Programme for the European Union Funds’ 

Investments in 2014-2020 

101 OECD, 2015. Lithuania: Fostering Open and Inclusive Policy Making 

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Lithuania  26 

the  Ministry  of  Environment,  and  the  municipalities  at 
the respective levels. 

Lithuania  transposes  new  directives  into  the  national 
legislation  respecting  the  established  timelines  and 
communicates  national  transposing  measures  relatively 
fast. There is a rather low number of complaints. 

Coordination and integration 

Lithuania  adopted  its  National  Sustainable  development 
strategy  in  2009  and  National  Environment  Protection 
Strategy  in  2015  and  National  Environment  Protection 
Strategy in 2015. 

Environmental  issues  fall  within  the  area  of  governance 
of  the  Ministry  of  Environment  (Aplinkos  ministerija). 
There  are  a  number  of  subordinate  institutions:  five 
the  State 
agencies,  eight 
Territorial Planning and Construction Inspectorate, three 
enterprises  (e.g.  Construction  production  Certification 
Centre) and a number of directorates and services. 

regional  departments, 

to  avoid  overlaps 

The  Commission  encourages  the  streamlining  of  the 
environmental  assessments 
in 
environmental  assessments  and  accelerate  decision-
making,  without  compromising  the  quality  of  the 
environmental  assessment  procedure.  The  Commission 
has issued a guidance document in 2016102 regarding the 
setting  up  of  coordinated  and/or  joint  procedures  that 
are simultaneously subject to assessments under the EIA 
Directive, Habitats Directive, Water Framework Directive, 
and the Industrial Emissions Directive. 

Compliance assurance 

EU  law  generally  and  specific  provisions  on  inspections, 
other  checks,  penalties  and  environmental  liability  help 
lay  the  basis  for  the  systems  Member  States  need  to 
have 
secure  compliance  with  EU 
to 
environmental rules. 

in  place 

Public  authorities  help  ensure  accountability  of  duty-
holders by monitoring and promoting compliance and by 
taking credible follow-up action (i.e. enforcement) when 
breaches occur or liabilities arise. Compliance monitoring 
can  be  done  both  on  the 
initiative  of  authorities 
themselves  and  in  response to  citizen complaints. It  can 
involve  using  various  kinds  of  checks, 
including 
inspections  for  permitted  activities,  surveillance  for 
possible  illegal  activities,  investigations  for  crimes  and 
audits for systemic weaknesses. Similarly, there is a range 
of  means  to  promote  compliance,  including  awareness-
raising  campaigns  and  use  of  guidance  documents  and 
online  information  tools.  Follow-up  to  breaches  and 

liability 

include  administrative  action 

(e.g. 
liabilities  can 
withdrawal of a permit), use of criminal law103 and action 
law  (e.g.  required  remediation  after 
under 
damage  from  an  accident  using 
liability  rules)  and 
contractual  law  (e.g.  measures  to  require  compliance 
with  nature  conservation  contracts).  Taken  together,  all 
of these interventions represent "compliance assurance" 
as shown in Figure 13.  

Best  practice  has  moved  towards  a  risk-based  approach 
at strategic and operational levels in which the best mix 
of compliance monitoring, promotion and enforcement is 
directed at the most serious problems. Best practice also 
recognises  the  need  for  coordination  and  cooperation 
between  different  authorities  to  ensure  consistency, 
avoid  duplication  of  work  and  reduce  administrative 
burden. Active participation in established pan-European 
networks  of  inspectors,  police,  prosecutors  and  judges, 
such as IMPEL104, EUFJE105, ENPE106 and EnviCrimeNet107, 
is  a  valuable  tool  for  sharing  experience  and  good 
practices. 

Figure 13: Environmental compliance assurance 

Currently, there exist a number of sectoral obligations on 
inspections  and  the  EU  directive  on  environmental 
liability  (ELD)  108  provides  a  means  of  ensuring  that  the 
"polluter-pays  principle" 
is  applied  when  there  are 
accidents  and  incidents  that  harm  the  environment. 
There 
information  giving 
insights  into  existing  strengths  and  weaknesses  in  each 
Member State.  

is  also  publically  available 

For  each  Member  State,  the  following  were  therefore 
reviewed:  use  of  risk-based  compliance  assurance; 
coordination  and  co-operation  between  authorities  and 
participation in pan-European networks; and key aspects 
of implementation of the ELD based on the Commission's 

103 European Union, Environmental Crime Directive 2008/99/EC 
104 European Union Network for the Implementation and Enforcement 

102 European Commission, 2016. Commission notice — Commission 
guidance document on streamlining environmental assessments 
conducted under Article 2(3) of the Environmental Impact 
Assessment Directive (Directive 2011/92/EU of the European 
Parliament and of the Council, as amended by Directive 2014/52/EU). 

of Environmental Law 

105 European Union Forum of judges for the environment  
106 The European Network of Prosecutors for the Environment  
107 EnviCrimeNet 
108 European Union, Environmental Liability Directive 2004/35/CE 

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recently  published  implementation  report  and  REFIT 
evaluation109.  

From  the  available  sources,  no  significant  up-to-date 
information  has  been  found  on  the  organisation  and 
functioning  of  the  environmental  compliance  system  in 
Lithuania.  Information  is  lacking  in  particular  in  relation 
to the following: 

 

  data-collection  arrangements  to  track  the  use  and 
effectiveness  of  different  compliance  assurance 
interventions; 
the extent to which risk-based methods are used to 
direct  compliance  assurance  at  the  strategic  level 
and in relation to industrial installations as well other 
critical  activities,  including  specific  problem-areas 
highlighted  elsewhere  in  this  Country  Report,  i.e. 
the threats  to  protected  habitat  types  and  species, 
poor  air  quality  and  the  pressures  on  water  quality 
from  diffuse  sources  of  pollution  and  reliance  on 
individual domestic waste-water treatment systems.  
  how  the  Lithuanian  authorities  ensure  a  targeted 
and  proportionate  response  to  different  types  of 
non-compliant  behavior,  in  particular  in  relation  to 
serious breaches detected.  

in 
Currently  Lithuania  does  not  actively  participate 
the activities of the European networks of environmental 
professionals. 

Liability 

Directive. 

For  the  period  2007  to  2013,  Lithuania  reported  four 
cases  of  environmental  damage  handled  according  to 
the Environmental 
Lithuania 
participated  in  the  Commission  training  but  there  is 
scope 
improve 
additional  measures 
implementation.  The  country  does  not  have  mandatory 
financial  security  (to  pay  for  remediation  when  an 
operator  cannot)  and  it  is  not  evident  that  insurance  is 
either sufficiently available or taken out.  

for 

to 

Suggested action 

  Improve 

  Step  up  efforts 

transparency  on 

the  organisation  and 
functioning  of  compliance  assurance  and  on  how 
significant risks are addressed, as outlined above. 
in  the 

implementation  of  the 
Environmental  Liability  Directive  (ELD)  with  proactive 
initiatives, in particular by setting up a national register 
of  ELD  incidents  and  drafting  national  guidance;  take 
further steps to ensure an effective system of financial 
security for environmental liabilities (so that operators 
not  only  have  insurance  cover  available  to  them  but 
actually take it up). 

109 COM(2016)204 final and COM(2016)121 final of 14.4.2016. This 
highlighted the need for better evidence on how the directive is 
used in practice; for tools to support its implementation, such as 
guidance, training and ELD registers; and for financial security to be 
available in case events or incidents generate remediation costs. 

Lithuania  27 

Public participation and access to justice 

The  Aarhus  Convention,  related  EU  legislation  on  public 
participation and environmental impact assessment, and 
the case-law of the Court of Justice require that citizens 
and  their  associations  should  be  able  to  participate  in 
decision-making  on  projects  and  plans  and  should  enjoy 
effective environmental access to justice. 

Citizens  can  more  effectively  protect  the  environment  if 
they can rely on the three "pillars" of the Convention on 
Access  to  Information,  Public  Participation  in  Decision-
making  and  Access  to  Justice  in  Environmental  Matters 
("the  Aarhus  Convention").  Public  participation  in  the 
administrative  decision  making  process  is  an  important 
element to ensure that the authority takes its decision on 
the  best  possible  basis.  The  Commission  intends  to 
examine compliance with mandatory public participation 
requirements more systematically at a later stage. 

Access  to  justice  in  environmental  matters  is  a  set  of 
guarantees  that  allows  citizens  and  their  associations  to 
challenge  acts  or  omissions  of  the  public  administration 
before  a  court. 
for  decentralised 
It 
implementation of EU environmental law. 

is  a 

tool 

For  each  Member  State,  two  crucial  elements  for 
effective  access  to  justice  have  been  systematically 
reviewed:  the  legal  standing  for  the  public,  including 
NGOs and the extent to which prohibitive costs represent 
a barrier. 

Lithuania  grants  the  public,  notably 
individuals  and 
NGOs,  a  broad  access  to  justice  in  environmental  cases. 
The  costs  for  bringing  a  case  to  a  court  are  also  not 
prohibitively  high.  This  guarantees  that  members  of 
the public  are  provided  with  good  conditions  for  asking 
for  a 
in 
Lithuania.  One  problem,  however,  seems  to  be  the  lack 
of  resource  of  environmental  NGOs,  which  prevents 
them  to  follow  up  environmental  cases  to  the  extent 
necessary110. 

in  environmental  matters 

judicial  review 

Access 
evidence 

to 

information,  knowledge  and 

The  Aarhus  Convention  and  related  EU  legislation  on 
access  to  information  and  the  sharing  of  spatial  data 
require that the public has access to clear information on 
the environment, including on how Union environmental 
law is being implemented. 

It is of crucial importance to public authorities, the public 
and business that environmental information is shared in 
an  efficient  and  effective  way.  This  covers  reporting  by 
active 
businesses 
through 
dissemination 

and 
increasingly 

public 
the  public, 

authorities 

and 
to 

110 European Commission, 2012/2013 access to justice in environmental 

matters 

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Lithuania  28 

spatial  information  consists  of  the  environmental  data 
required  to  be  made  available  under  the  existing 
reporting 
EU 
environmental law. 

and  monitoring 

regulations 

of 

Suggested action 

  Critically  review  the  effectiveness  of  its  data  policies 
into 
taking 

'best  practices' 

them, 

and  amend 
consideration.  

  Identify and document all spatial data sets required for 
the  implementation  of  environmental  law,  and  make 
the data  and  documentation  at  least  accessible  'as  is' 
to  other  public  authorities  and  the  public  through  the 
digital services foreseen in the INSPIRE Directive.  

instruments 

create  obligations 

electronic means. 
The  Aarhus  Convention111,  the  Access  to  Environmental 
Information  Directive112  and  the  INSPIRE  Directive113 
together  create  a  legal  foundation  for  the  sharing  of 
environmental  information  between  public  authorities 
and with the public. They also represent the green part of 
the  ongoing  EU  e-Government  Action  Plan114.  The  first 
two 
to  provide 
information  to  the  public,  both  on  request  and  actively. 
The  INSPIRE  Directive  is  a  pioneering  instrument  for 
electronic  data-sharing  between  public  authorities  who 
can  vary  in  their  data-sharing  policies,  e.g.  on  whether 
access to data is for free. The INSPIRE Directive sets up a 
geoportal which indicates the level of shared spatial data 
in  each  Member  State  –  i.e.  data  related  to  specific 
locations,  such  as  air  quality  monitoring  data.  Amongst 
it  facilitates  the  public  authorities' 
other  benefits 
reporting obligations.  

For  each  Member 
accessibility  of 
State, 
environmental data (based on what the INSPIRE Directive 
envisages)  as  well  as  data-sharing  policies  ('open  data') 
have been systematically reviewed115.  

the 

INSPIRE 

Lithuania's  performance  on  the 
implementation  of 
the INSPIRE  Directive  as  enabling  framework  to  actively 
disseminate  environmental  information  to  the  public 
leaves room for improvement. Lithuania has indicated in 
implementation  report116  that 
the  3-yearly 
the necessary  data-sharing  policies  allowing  access  and 
use  of  spatial  data  by  national  administrations,  other 
Member  States'  administrations  and  EU 
institutions 
without  procedural  obstacles  are  available  and 
implemented.  Most  of  the  spatial  information  is  shared 
between  public  authorities  and  with  the  public  free  of 
charge. Experienced barriers to the sharing of data where 
mostly  of  the  technical  kind  and  have  been  remediated 
by Lithuania.   
Assessments of monitoring reports117 issued by Lithuania 
and the  spatial information  that  Lithuania has  published 
on  the  INSPIRE  geoportal118  indicate  that  not  all  spatial 
and 
for 
information 
implementation of EU environmental law has been made 
available  or  is  accessible.  The  larger  part  of  this  missing 

evaluation 

needed 

the 

111 UNECE, 1998. Convention on Access to Information, Public 
Participation in Decision-Making and Access to Justice in 
Environmental Matters 

112 European Union, Directive 2003/4/EC on public access to 

environmental information 

113 European Union, INSPIRE Directive 2007/2/EC  
114 European Union, EU eGovernment Action Plan 2016-2020 - 

Accelerating the digital transformation of government COM/2016/ 
179 final 

115 Upon request by the Commission, most Member States provided an 
INSPIRE Action Plan addressing implementation issues. These plans 
are currently being assessed by the Commission. 

116 European Commission, INSPIRE reports 
117 Inspire indicator trends  
118 Inspire Resources Summary Report 

Environmental Implementation Report – Lithuania