LithuaniaEtar
Lithuania adopts Social Climate Fund operating rulebook
Environment minister approves the Social Climate Plan implementation rules: APVA-run calls, 45/70-day evaluation, 30% advances, VAT and eligibility terms, appeals.
By Taxxa AI OyPublished 9 November 2026
Lithuania has its operating rulebook for the Social Climate Fund.E TAR Environment minister Ieva Andriulaitytė signed
E TAR order No. D1-201
E TAR of 9 November 2026
E TAR, approving the Socialinio klimato plano įgyvendinimo taisyklės
E TAR. The order implements point 1.1 of Government resolution No. 405 of 11 June 2025 on Regulation (EU) 2023/955, which establishes the Social Climate Fund, and follows Commission implementing decision C(2026) 3697 of 5 June 2026 on Lithuania's social climate plan, its financing and the 2026–2032 work programme.
The rules govern the full cycle from plan amendment and funding conditions through selection, financing, eligibility, controls, complaints and closure of the plan. The Aplinkos ministerija manages the plan, its Aplinkos projektų valdymo agentūra (APVA) administers projectsE TAR, line ministries prepare measures and funding conditions, and a ministerial monitoring committee follows implementation. The plan may be amended under Article 18 of Regulation (EU) 2023/955.
For applicants, the route runs through calls published on www.apva.lt. The submission deadline for a project implementation plan (PĮP) cannot be shorter than 20 working days from the call's publication.E TAR Every project faces eligibility screening
E TAR; only competitions add benefit-and-quality scoring by two assessors with a 100-point maximum
E TAR. Ties are broken by the priority criteria in order, then by submission time; continuous selection funds positively assessed applications in registration order
E TAR. Evaluation may last no longer than 45 working days for planning and continuous selection
E TAR and 70 working days for competitions
E TAR. Where the file is deficient, the applicant gets 5 to 10 working days to cure it
E TAR, extendable once by up to 10 working days
E TAR. The financing decision follows within 3 working days of the evaluation conclusion
E TAR, and the contract is signed with a qualified electronic signature.
The contract may provide an advance of up to 30 percent of the project grant outstanding at any time.E TAR Where the funding conditions require it, the advance part above 100 000 Eur must be secured by an insurance guarantee, surety or surety insurance
E TAR. Advance funds must be recovered where project activities have not started within 140 working days of receipt.
E TAR The final activity report is due by the contract deadline
E TAR, set no earlier than 20 working days after activities end
E TAR. Eligible costs must be necessary for the project, provided for in the contract and documented
E TAR, and state-aid screening for Article 107 TFEU compatibility is part of eligibility checks
E TAR. VAT is ineligible for Fund money
E TAR but may be paid from the state budget where five cumulative conditions hold (eligible base, funded share, no deduction right, no other funding, budget cover)
E TAR. Always ineligible are debt interest, used assets, fines, PĮP preparation costs and double-funded costs.
E TAR No double funding with other EU or national programmes is allowed.
E TAR
On-site checks need at least two APVA representativesE TAR, a report within 10 working days
E TAR and implementation of recommendations within 5 to 20 working days
E TAR. Irregularities can end in clearance, remediation, or ineligible expenditure with recovery or termination. Recovery decisions take effect on adoption; deferral needs a request at least 20 working days ahead, and late payment draws interest except for budgetary institutions. Applicants, implementers and affected third parties appeal APVA decisions to the Lietuvos administracinių ginčų komisija or the Regionų administracinis teismas.
E TAR Project data goes on www.apva.lt in open formats, and material must carry the EU emblem with the wording “Finansuoja Europos Sąjunga – SKF”. Implementers keep project documents for 10 years after 31 December of the year of the last payment.
E TAR
Legal basis: Lietuvos Respublikos aplinkos ministro 2026 m. lapkričio 9 d. įsakymas Nr. D1-201E TAR, implementing Lietuvos Respublikos Vyriausybės 2025 m. birželio 11 d. nutarimo Nr. 405 1.1 papunktį under Reglamentas (ES) 2023/955 and Komisijos įgyvendinimo sprendimas C(2026) 3697.
Grant advisers and prospective applicants should track APVA calls and build the 20-working-day PĮP deadline, 30% advance cap and 10-year document retention into project planning.