RESTRICTEDWORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONWT/ACC/LTU/22
14 May 1998
(98-1929)
Working Party on the
Accession of LithuaniaOriginal:  English
ACCESSION OF LITHUANIA
Communication from Lithuania
The Permanent Mission of the Republic of Lith uania has submitted the following information
on Lithuania’s progress in implementing the Agreement on the Application of Sanitary and
Phytosanitary Measures, with the request that it be circulated to Working Party members.
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The Lithuanian Government herewith submits  information on the most recent status of
Lithuania’s legislation and regulations and its institutional infrastructure in the field of sanitary and
phytosanitary measures.
It is recalled that in Lithuania food safety is under the jurisdiction of the National Nutrition
Centre to the Ministry of Health, the State Veterinary Service and the State Plant QuarantineInspectorate to the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry. Responsibility for inspection of unprocessed
animal products (e.g., meat, milk) is being shared by the National Nutrition Centre and the State
Veterinary Service. Animal health is under the jurisdiction of the State Veterinary Service. Plant
health is under the jurisdiction of the State Plant Quarantine Inspectorate.
Regarding transparency, Lithuania already publishes promptly all sanitary and phytosanitary
regulations which have been adopted. Lithuania is establishing a process to allow a reasonable period
of time between the publication of a sanitary or phytosanitary regulation and its entry into force to
allow producers in exporting Members to adapt to the new requirements and expects this process to be
completed in the nearest future. Lithuania is in the process of creating an enquiry point at the Ministry
of Agriculture and Forestry. The enquiry point also will carry out the notification obligations of the
Agreement.
Lithuania already participates in the work of international organizations (the Codex
Alimentarius, the Office International des Epizooties and soon, the European and Mediterranean Plant
Protection Organization).  To the greatest extent po ssible and appropriate, Lithuania is basing its SPS
measures on the international standards and guidelines created by those organizations.
Hereafter are listed the tasks already completed, those currently being performed and those
that remain to be accomplished in the following fields:
1. SPS measures applicable to food products;
2. SPS measures in the veterinary field;
3. SPS measures applicable to plants and plant products.WT/ACC/LTU/22
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As can be ascertained on the basis of this survey, practically all that is needed to apply the
Agreement on SPS Measures will shortly be in place.
1. SPS Measures in the Field of Food Products
1.1. The tasks already completed:
Lithuania has been a member of the Codex A limentarius Commission since 1992.  There are
six large laboratories in the Public Health Service under the Ministry of Health.  They test forpesticides, heavy metals and other chemical contaminants in food and are located in the biggest cities.
The Central Laboratory is in the National Nutrition Centre in Vilnius.  There are 35 small chemical
and microbiological laboratories situated across the various districts of Lithuania.  They test for
nitrates and microbiological levels in food.  The National Nutrition Centre and the State Hygiene
Inspectorate are responsible for the risk assessment of food.
Framework legislation in place
- “Lithuanian Standard LST CAC/RCP 1 Recommended International Code of Practice.
General Principles of Food Hygiene”, 1995. This  international CAC document  was approved
by Lithuania and will be implemented by the end of 1997.
- “Procedure of Food Products Import into Republic of Lithuania and their Safety and Quality
Control” (Government Resolution No.1106 of 9 October 1997). This document describes the
obligatory requirements for food products intended for import to Lithuania. It provides thestructure and functions of authorities involved in food quality control in the process of
importation and was prepared in accordance with FAO Food and Nutrition Paper 14/15
Manual of Food Quality Control, vol.15 Imported Food Inspection, Rome 1993.
- “The Lithuanian Hygiene Norm HN 38-1993.  The Maximum Amounts of Unhealthy
Substances Permitted in Tobacco Products” (approval of Ministry of Health No.24 of7 February 1994). The document describes all safety and quality requirements for tobacco
products produced in Lithuania as well as abroad. These requirements conform to
international requirements; they must be read in conjunction with the Lithuanian Law on
Tobacco Control, approved on 20 December 1995, which prohibits the production and import
of snuff and chewing tobacco.
1.2. Tasks being performed at present
Improvements to the framework legislation
The adoption of the Law on Food is planned for during the course of 1998. At present, the
final draft of the law is being co-ordinated with  international experts.  The law addresses the
regulation of food safety for human health. It will establish the foundations for the management offood safety and quality system, protect consumers from unhealthful production and false or
misleading advertising of food. The Law will also de fine the fields of competence and responsibility
of the various institutions conducting supervision of food safety.
“The Lithuanian Hygiene Norm HN 54-1995. Raw Materials and Foodstuffs. Maximum
Permitted Levels of Contaminants and Radionuclides” (approval of Ministry of Health No.10 of
6 March 1995). It is a basic document which lists all allowed maximum levels for chemical agents
and radioactive materials in foodstuffs produced in Lithuania as well as abroad. The established levelsof pesticides and other chemical contaminants are harmonised to recommendations of CAC Pesticide
Residues in Food Codex Alimentarius Suppleme nt 1 to vol.2, FAO/WHO, Rome, 1993 and otherWT/ACC/LTU/22
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CAC guidelines designed for concrete foodstuff s. Amendments are being drafted now for the
implementation of new Codex Alimentarius provisio ns (expected approval and implementation during
the course of 1998).
”The Lithuanian Hygiene Norm HN 53-1995. Approved Food Additives”. (approval of
Ministry of Health No.8 of 22 February 1995). This document includes a positive list of approved
food additives and permitted levels of additives in concrete foodstuffs. Amendments of this documentare being drafted now to approximate the correspond to the positive list of the European Communities
(expected approval and implementation during the course of 1998).
“Lithuanian Hygiene Norm HN 26-1994. Raw Materials and Foodstuffs. Allowable Levels of
Microbial Contamination” (approval of Ministry of Health No.59 of 11 February 1994). This
document contains allowed maximum levels for microbes in foodstuffs produced in Lithuania and
specifies imports. This document is not yet harmonised to Codex Alimentarius recommendations. A
new edition is being drafted (expected approval and implementation during the course of 1998).
“The Lithuanian Hygiene Norm HN 78-1998 Hygiene of Foodstuffs”. This regulation will set
up the Codex Alimentarius standard CAC/RCP 1 re quirements, including HACCP, as mandatory for
food establishments and all food handling (expected approval and implementation during the course
of 1998-1999).
1.3. The remaining tasks
Preparation of regulations and creation of better mechanisms for risk assessment.
2. SPS Measures in the Veterinary Field
2.1. The tasks already completed
Lithuania has been a member of the OIE (Office International des Epizooties) since 1936, this
membership was renewed in 1992. Lithuania also has been a member of Foot-and-Mouth Disease
Commission at the Food and Agriculture Organi zation (FAO) since 1993. The State Veterinary
Service follows the recommendations and standards of OIE:  “Manual of Standards for diagnostic
tests and vaccines”, 1992, and the “International Animal Health Code (mammals, birds and bees)”,
1992. Also the State Veterinary Service is responsible for the risk assessment.
The National Veterinary Laboratory carries out monitoring programs and performs tests for
diseases with reference to the OIE recommendations  and standards. Every month, the State Veterinary
Service sends reports to the OIE about the epizootic situation in Lithuania and every week gets from
OIE the latest information about the epizootic situation in the world.
Veterinary supervision and control is performed by 10 county veterinary services, 34 district
State veterinary clinics and 4 stations of city veterinary sanitation. Every county State veterinaryservice has a veterinary laboratory. The National Veterinary Laboratory performs the mandatory tests
and serves as a methods guidance centre for the State laboratories of the country. Border veterinary
controls are conducted by the Border and Transport State Veterinary Service which reports to the
State Veterinary Service. 16 border veterinary posts and 3 veterinary posts are in operation. They
perform veterinary medical control of livestock, fodder, raw materials and food of animal origin.
Framework legislation in place:
The State Veterinary Service is guided by the Law on Veterinary Activities
(17 December 1991). This law defines the basic ta sks, structure and management of veterinary
activities .WT/ACC/LTU/22
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Surveillance of the import and transit of animals, feed stuff and products of animal origin
into/through Lithuania is conducted in accordance with Government Resolution No.284
(27 April 1993) “On Veterinary and Sanitary Requirements on Livestock, their Products, Raw
Materials and Fodder Imported to the Republic of Lithuania and Transported as Transit through its
Territory”.
2.2. Tasks being performed presentlyImprovement to the framework legislation:
See above description under “SPS measures in the field of food products” of the Law on
Food.
2.3. The remaining tasks
Preparation of regulations and creation of better mechanisms for risk assessment.
3. SPS Measures in the Field of Plants and Plant Products
3.1. The tasks already completed
The Phytosanitary Research Centre tests for quarantine diseases, pests and weeds and
provides the possibility for research in these areas. The simple visual analysis of weeds, nematodes
and pests are implemented at the 10 regional plant quarantine stations located across Lithuania.
During the course of 1998 the State Plant Quarantine Inspectorate will be reorganized as a new
institution, the State Plant Protection Agency, which will continue the work of the Inspectorate butalso be responsible for risk assessment.
Framework legislation in place:
- Law on Plant Protection (19 October 1995);
- Law on the Protection of Plant Varieties and Seed Cultivation (17 September 1996).
- Government Resolution No.599 “Plant Quarantine  Regulations for the Import and Export of
Plant and Plant Products to and from Lithuania and their Transit through the Territory of
Lithuania” (3 August 1993).
- Government Resolution No.384 “Plant Quarantine Regulations for Conveyance, Storage, Sale
and Usage of Plant and Plant Products in Lithuania (25 March 1996).
3.2. Tasks being completed at present
Documents are being prepared with a view to joining the EPPO (European and Mediterranean
Plant Protection Organization). Lithuania is improving the staff and equipment of the phytosanitary
analysis centre. Lithuania also is establishing plant quarantine posts which have begun their
operations in the country and at border posts.
3.3. The remaining tasks
Preparation of regulations and creating of mechanisms of risk assessment.
Improvement of framework legislation:
Lithuania must further conform its import requirements for plant and plant products with
international standards. This should take place during the course of 1998-1999. At the same time,
Lithuania will be working to improve its infrastructure and laboratories for plant quarantine issues.WT/ACC/LTU/22
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The State Plant Quarantine Inspectorate will establish pest free areas in accordance with
FAO-IPPC (International Plant Protection Convention) st andards. This is expected to take place at the
latest by the end of 1999.
Lithuania expects to become a member of the European and Mediterranean Plant Protection
Organization (EPPO) in the early part of 1998. Lithuani a plans to ratify the IPPC (International Plant
Protection Convention) at the latest by the end of 1999.
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