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Import and Export in Lithuania

Because of the membership of the EU and WTO Lithuania has reconciled its customs legislation in accordance with the EU law. Membership in the EU implies the application of common rules at external borders of the union and prohibits applying customs duties or quantitative restrictions on import and export between member States. The common rules comprise common tariff and all aspects of trade policy, such as preferential trade, health and environmental controls, the common agricultural and fisheries policies as well as integrated external trade policy measures.

Export To Lithuania

According to World’s top Export news, Lithuania shipped US$29.9 billion worth of goods around the globe in 2017. Lithuania’s total Gross Domestic Product amounted to $90.6 billion too. Lithuania’s most valuable exports are refined petroleum oils trailed by furniture, medicines for prophylactic or therapeutic purposes, and wheat.

1. Mineral fuels including oil: US$4.5 billion (14.9% of total exports)
2. Machinery including computers: $2.6 billion (8.8%)
3. Furniture, bedding, lighting, signs, prefab buildings: $2.2 billion (7.3%)
4. Electrical machinery, equipment: $2.1 billion (7%)
5. Plastics, plastic articles: $1.8 billion (6%)
6. Vehicles: $1.5 billion (4.9%)
7. Wood: $1.1 billion (3.6%)
8. Fertilizers: $805.7 million (2.7%)
9. Pharmaceuticals: $800.1 million (2.7%)
10. Optical, technical, medical apparatus: $764.8 million (2.6%)

Import From Lithuania

Lithuania’s most valuable imported products are crude oil followed by cars, medicines, refined petroleum oils, mobile phones then tractors.

1. Mineral fuels including oil: US$6.2 billion (19.1% of total imports)
2. Machinery including computers: $3.4 billion (10.4%)
3. Vehicles: $3 billion (9.3%)
4. Electrical machinery, equipment: $2.5 billion (7.8%)
5. Plastics, plastic articles: $1.5 billion (4.6%)
6. Pharmaceuticals: $1.1 billion (3.5%)
7. Organic chemicals: $726.7 million (2.2%)
8. Iron, steel: $705.3 million (2.2%)
9. Articles of iron or steel: $689.6 million (2.1%)
10. Wood: $686.5 million (2.1%)

Trading Partners

The main exportof Lithuania was delivered to other European countries 83.6% while 8.6% were sold to Asian importers. Smaller percentages were delivered from Lithuania to North American ( 5.5%) and Africa (1.5%).

Lithuania’s top trading partners in terms of exports sales in 2017

1. Russia: US$4.5 billion (15% of total Lithuanian exports)
2. Latvia: $3 billion (9.9%)
3. Poland: $2.4 billion (8.1%)
4. Germany: $2.2 billion (7.3%)
5. United States: $1.6 billion (5.2%)
6. Estonia: $1.5 billion (5%)
7. Sweden: $1.4 billion (4.8%)
8. Belarus: $1.1 billion (3.8%)
9. Netherlands: $1 billion (3.5%)
10. United Kingdom: $1 billion (3.5%)
11. Norway: $848.6 million (2.8%)

The biggest importer to Lithuania is Russia. Russia's exports to Lithuania amounted to

$4.5 billion. Mostly it is Mineral fuels including oil, iron and steel, salt, sulfur, stone, cement, fertilizers. The second biggest importer is Latvia who exports to Lithuania amounted to $2.3 billion. The main goods are electronic equipment, mineral fuels including oil, vehicles, machinery.

If you are thinking to use Lithuania as a getaway point to Russia market you need to know these things. 21% of Lithuanian exports go into Russia. Lithuanian companies usually have a lot of knowledge of operating in the Russian market and country has a direct rail route into Russia. However, internal and foreign affairs political decisions by Lithuania and the EU have impacted the operation of this trade route into Russia. The Russian government can cause border crossing issues and sometimes put in place temporary trade embargoes.

Contact a Department for International Trade (DIT) Lithuania export adviser for a free consultation if you’re interested in exporting to Lithuania.

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