The main document guiding regulatory policy in Lithuania is the Law on Legislative Frameworks, which establishes high-level requirements for regulatory impact assessment (RIA), consultation and ex post evaluation. RIA is required for all primary laws, with a 2022 amendment introducing additional impacts on climate and equal opportunities as well as strengthening the requirement to use data in RIA. Consultation is systematically required once a regulation is drafted. The obligation was updated in 2022 to more clearly determine when the public should be consulted, the purpose of the consultation, and what data should be collected. Additional guidance and methodology on consultations were also uploaded on the E-Citizen (E-Pilietis) platform. A methodology for ex post evaluation was introduced in 2021 and determines the objectives, scope of applications, process and roles of actors involved, and extending its application to subordinate regulations. It includes an assessment of whether laws achieve their objectives and the associated costs and benefits. All reviews are carried out and overseen by the Ministry of Justice, with assistance by the Government Strategic Analysis Centre (STRATA). In implementing this methodology, Lithuania should ensure assessments go beyond purely qualitative exercises and include elements of quantitative analysis.
The responsibilities of the Government Meeting Organisation Unit were recently strengthened to prepare the legislative plan. For the first time, the mid-term legislative plan was prepared for the 2021-2024 period. It covers the laws, resolutions of both Parliament and the Government, and EU legislation being planned. It also indicates major legislative initiatives for which a full RIA must be performed. The Governance Department and its Analytics and Sustainable Governance Unit has an active role in promoting better regulation by enabling public sector data use for decision making and implementation.
Indicators for RIA and stakeholder engagement only cover processes carried out by the executive, which initiates approx. 38% of primary laws in Lithuania. There is no mandatory requirement for conducting RIAs for primary laws initiated by the parliament but, according to its statute, the parliament may decide to publish draft laws for consultation. Proposals received shall be referred to the relevant committee.
All primary laws/ ▲ Yes ■ Required ● Yes, there is a regulation and a policy
Major primary laws/ ● Yes, there is a regulation
Some primary laws/ ■ Not required but allowed ● Yes, there is a policy
Never/ ▲ No ■ Not allowed