Common Commencement Dates (The Two-Date Rule)
Seeking to ensure that economic entities have sufficient time for familiarising themselves with new legal regulations and for preparing to implement the obligations imposed by legislation on business, government resolutions and orders of ministers and heads of governmental bodies that make changes to business conditions should enter into force on 1 May or 1 November, i.e. the common commencement dates (a.k.a., the two-date rule.) Legal acts must be adopted no later than three months prior to their date of entry into force, i.e. by 1 February or 1 August, respectively.
Common commencement dates are one of the key instruments used in the reform of institutions supervising businesses in Lithuania. The objectives of this reform are to reduce corruption and the administrative burden on business in performing inspection functions and to change the attitude of both business and supervisory institutions regarding their mission; supervisory institutions must help businesses rather than punish them. The hope is that common commencement dates, along with other reform instruments, will have a tangible impact on creating a more favourable legal and economic environment for business.
Common commencement dates are not applicable where legal acts are adopted:
• to implement obligations imposed under EU legislation;
• to meet the requirements laid down in international treaties of the Republic of Lithuania;
• in other cases provided by law;
• to entrench more favourable regulatory treatment for economic entities.
If you notice that a legal act has been adopted and has entered into force without complying with the common commencement dates, please notify us by e-mail: dvidatos@ukmin.lt.
Last date edited: 2013-01-28
