There is no single formal government regulatory policy in Lithuania, though some elements are embedded in several strategic documents. While impacts are required to be assessed for any legislative acts, RIA remains a largely formal exercise to justify choices already made, rarely based on data or analysis of alternative options. Around two-thirds of about 900 draft laws submitted to the Seimas every year are parliamentary drafts with similar requirements for conducting RIA and public consultations as for those developed by the executive, however, without any oversight. Consultations in the development of regulations are anchored in the administration and interaction between stakeholders and the government sometimes takes place before a decision to regulate is made. Yet consultations currently lack methodology and technical guidance.
A major part of the Lithuanian government’s efforts focuses on administrative burden reduction, mainly for businesses. There are some general requirements to conduct monitoring and ex post reviews of existing regulations, and the government plans to introduce a pilot of more in-depth ‘fitness checks’. Concerning regulatory enforcement and inspections reform, Lithuania is ahead of most of OECD countries. Lithuania could consider building on existing efforts for better co-ordination of regulatory policy by bringing the different elements of regulatory policy together in an integrated strategic plan and strengthening the role of the Government Office. It should also improve RIA processes, with a special focus on starting early in the regulation-making process and better quantification of regulatory impacts.
