Governmental Resolution No.1132 of 1999 on the approval of the procedure for the importation of foodstuffs into the Republic of Lithuania and the control of safety and quality of such foodstuffs.

The Government of the Republic of Lithuania hereby has resolved to approve the procedure for the importation of foodstuffs into the Republic of Lithuania and the control of safety and quality of such foodstuffs (appended). This procedure shall regulate the importation of foodstuffs (including foodstuffs intended for charity and support) into the Republic of Lithuania, their carriage in transit through its territory, and the activities of control institutions. The aim of the procedure - to ensure that no foodstuffs that might be harmful to human health or become a reason for the spread of diseases and plant pests, be brought into the Republic of Lithuania. This procedure shall not apply to the foodstuffs which are temporarily imported for exhibitions or for representation purposes, as well as to the foodstuffs intended to satisfy the needs of diplomatic missions of foreign states. Only those foodstuffs which meet the requirements established in legal acts of the Republic of Lithuania may be entered into the Republic of Lithuania, with the exception of the cases provided for in international agreements of the Republic of Lithuania. Importers of foodstuffs brought into the Republic of Lithuania shall be held liable under law for safety and quality of the said foodstuffs. Conformity to these requirements shall be verified by food control authorities in accordance with their competence. The requirements set out in this procedure, including the registration of importers of foodstuffs, shall not apply to foodstuffs intended for the registration in the Republic of Lithuania or carrying out of an expert examination (it shall be allowed to import for this purpose not more than 50 grams of each food additive, and not more than one pack intended for retail trade, of each foodstuff for particular nutritional purposes), for satisfying the needs of diplomatic missions of foreign states, as well as temporarily imported for exhibitions. In order to regulate the activities of importers and to increase their responsibility for the safety and quality of foodstuffs, importers of foodstuffs shall be registered, certificates shall be issued and their validity shall be terminated in compliance with the procedure established by the Ministry of Health Care and the State Veterinary Service. Such registration shall be necessary only for those economic entities which will enter foodstuffs into the Republic of Lithuania for the customs procedures for release for free circulation, processing under customs control and inward processing. The registration of importers shall be checked by customs officers and additionally verified by officers of food control posts.