Lithuanian Perliament approves the “Investment Highway” initiative

The Seimas has approved the legislative package initiated by the Ministry of Economy and Innovation (EIMIN), which establishes the “Investment Highway” – one of the most investor-friendly frameworks in the region. Starting today, an investment calculator that tracks incoming investments to Lithuania is publicly available on the ministry’s website.

“We’ve set an ambitious goal – to attract €10 billion in investments by 2030, thereby ensuring economic growth and contributing more to defense funding. We want Lithuania to be a more advanced country where a major investment project can begin within a few months and be completed within one or two years. This is exactly what the ‘Investment Highway’ initiative is designed for,” says Minister of Economy and Innovation Lukas Savickas.

Until now, investment projects were often delayed due to lengthy processes related to spatial planning, land formation, or permit coordination. In some cases, obtaining the necessary permits could take up to three years. The “Investment Highway” model adopted by the Seimas will ensure faster and clearer decision-making: these processes will be at least halved, and construction procedures will be simplified. However, community engagement and environmental impact assessments will still be encouraged as part of the project implementation.

Simplified conditions will also apply to investment projects within Free Economic Zones (FEZs), where land formation will proceed more quickly, clearer planning rules will be introduced, and environmental impact assessments will be streamlined.

Additionally, the application of corporate tax incentives will be revised – they will apply from the point when the project achieves its results, rather than from its start. This is expected to be a particularly strong incentive for long-term investments.

The approved changes also enhance institutional support. The investment promotion agency “Invest Lithuania” will become the main coordinator for large-scale projects. It will not only advise investors but also actively mediate between institutions, monitor deadlines, and propose systemic improvements.

The adopted amendments to the Investment and related laws will also significantly accelerate the development of smaller defense industry projects. Changes in defense industry investment policy, initiated by EIMIN together with the Ministry of National Defense, will simplify the construction process for new facilities. These changes will eliminate the current permitting system, replacing it with a phased technical project review and a notification-based construction model.

The legislative changes will take effect on November 1 of this year. More details are available here.