Governmental Resolution No.559 of 1997 on licensing the importation of, wholesale and retail trade in alcoholic products.

Government of the Republic of Lithuania resolves: 1. To approve the attached: 1.1. Rules of Licensing the Importation of, Wholesale and Retail Trade in Alcoholic Products; 1.2. Rules of Retail Trade in Alcoholic Beverages at Trading and Public Catering Enterprises. 2. To oblige: 2.1. The State Agency of Tobacco and Alcohol Control under the Government of the Republic of Lithuania (hereafter referred to as the State Agency of Tobacco and Alcohol Control): 2.1.1. to issue and re-register licences to import alcoholic beverages into the Republic of Lithuania, to engage in wholesale trade of alcoholic beverages produced in the Republic of Lithuania, as well as issue single permits to import alcoholic beverages for exhibitions, diplomatic functions and representation events held in the Republic of Lithuania. Licences to import alcoholic beverages shall be issued upon co-ordinating this issue with the Ministry of National Economy, Ministry of Health Care, Ministry of the Interior, Ministry of Finance and the Department of State Security, and licences to import non-denatured ethyl alcohol and raw materials containing ethyl alcohol shall be issued upon co-ordinating this issue with the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry. Licences to engage in wholesale trade in alcoholic beverages produced in the Republic of Lithuania shall be issued upon co-ordinating this issue with the Ministry of National Economy, Ministry of Health Care and the Ministry of the Interior. Regulation on licensing the importation of, wholesale and retail trade in alcoholic products establish the activity related to the importation of alcoholic products for home consumption (hereafter referred to as importation), wholesale and retail trade in these products. Alcoholic products are as follows: alcoholic beverages (according to the EEC Combined Nomenclature of Goods - 2203, 2204 - 2208, except 220430, 2207, 22082040), indentured ethyl alcohol (code numbers according to the EEC Combined Nomenclature of Goods - 220710, 22089099), denatured ethyl alcohol (code number according to the EEC Combined Nomenclature of Goods - 220720), technical ethyl alcohol (code number according to the EEC Combined Nomenclature of Goods - 220710), ingredients, i.e. alcohol-based food solutions containing flavourings (code numbers according to the EEC Combined Nomenclature of Goods - 21039030, 21069020, 33021010) and alcohol-based non-food solutions containing flavourings (code number according to the EEC Combined Nomenclature of Goods - 33029010), raw materials (code numbers according to the EEC Combined Nomenclature of Goods - 220429, 220430, 220590, 22060081, 22060089, 22082040, 22082062, 22082064, 22082086, 22082087, 22082089, 22083019, 22083038, 22083058, 22083078, 22083088, 22084090, 22085019, 22085099, 22086019, 22086099, 22087090, 22089019, 22089038, 22089071 - 22089078). Only enterprises holding licences of the standard form shall be permitted to import alcoholic products into the Republic of Lithuania and to engage in wholesale or retail trade in these products. Rules of retail trade in alcoholic beverages for trading and public catering enterprises establish that retail trade in alcoholic beverages shall be carried out only by those trading and public catering enterprises (including the enterprises trading in alcoholic beverages in duty free shops) which have valid licences to engage in retail trade in alcoholic beverages issued by the City (District) Mayor (Councils). The original of the licence to engage in retail trade in alcoholic beverages shall be kept in safety at the enterprise. In case the enterprise obtains the licences to carry out this activity in its outlet (a specialised shop, specialised section, restaurant, cafe, buffet, (including a closed one), bar, etc.) which serve customers or serve alcoholic beverages to waiters, the original of the licence shall be kept in safety in this outlet. The trade in alcoholic beverages shall be permitted only at the stationary trading enterprise established specifically for such trade or their special sections intended for such trade and at stationary public catering enterprises. Beer, bottled by breweries, shall be permitted to be sold in kiosks and special sections of trading enterprises.