On 10 October 2002 a new wording of the Rules on Licensing on Production of Tobacco Products and Import of Tobacco and Tobacco Products to the Republic of Lithuania came into force (hereinafter ñ the Rules).

      It is noteworthy that the new Rules do not require annual reregistration of disposable licences on production of tobacco products and import of tobacco and tobacco products. The State Council on Control of Tobacco and Alcohol shall issue the licences for unlimited term of duration.

      The Rules set the new obligation for the company, which applies for the licence, to indicate the shareholders whose holdings exceed 50 % of the companyís shares (according to the previous wording the shareholders whose holdingsí par value exceed 1/10 of the authorised capital had to be indicated). The company must enclose the copies and translations of the contracts on purchase of tobacco, concluded with the foreign entities, in the applications to the State Council on Control of Tobacco and Alcohol for license to import tobacco to Lithuania. However, the notarisation of the aforesaid copies is not necessary, it is sufficient to confirm the copies by the signature of director and seal of the company.

      The Rules establish more new obligations for the companies, which have obtained the licenses. The company, which has lost the license, must announce about that loss at least in one newspaper published in Lithuania. The copy of the aforesaid announcement must be attached to the application to the State Council on Control of Tobacco and Alcohol in order to get a license duplicate. Furthermore, in case of the change of the companyís address the licensee must inform the State Council on Control of Tobacco and Alcohol hereof within 10†business days. In accordance with the Rules, validity of the licenses to import tobacco and tobacco products may be suspended. The State Council on Control of Tobacco and Alcohol shall be entitled to suspend the validity of the licenses if the company, which has been warned about eventual suspension of the license, does not eliminate the indicated infringements.