Sell Cosmetics in Lithuania: Compliance Guide

• NVSC (National Public Health Centre) is the primary competent authority for cosmetics in Lithuania under Regulation (EC) 1223/2009, with full market surveillance powers.
• Required labelling must be in Lithuanian under Minister of Health Order No. V-634; INCI ingredient names are exempt.
• Lithuania has a national Hygiene Norm with quantitative microbiological limits for finished cosmetics — a significant particularity not present in most EU member states.

1. The EU framework applies — notify once, sell everywhere

Lithuania applies Regulation (EC) 1223/2009 directly — the harmonised rules that govern cosmetic products across the entire European Union. There is no parallel national regime: the safety, composition, and labelling rules are the same as in the rest of the EU.

In practice, selling in Lithuania within the EU framework means meeting four common obligations that are not specific to this country:

• A single CPNP notification covers the entire EU market, including Lithuania.
• A single EU-established Responsible Person is accountable for the product.
• A single product information file (PIF), which includes the cosmetic product safety report (CPSR).

This guide does not repeat that common framework — it focuses on what is specific to Lithuania. For the cross-cutting concepts, see also what the CosIng database is and how to use it.

2. The national competent authority

The primary competent authority for cosmetics in Lithuania is NVSC — Nacionalinis visuomenės sveikatos centras prie Sveikatos apsaugos ministerijos (National Public Health Centre under the Ministry of Health). NVSC holds the full range of competent authority functions under Regulation 1223/2009: market surveillance (Arts. 22, 24), management of serious undesirable effects (Art. 23), corrective measures (Art. 25), and notification on substances of interest (Art. 30).

Official website: nvsc.lrv.lt/en. NVSC also maintains a dedicated helpdesk for cosmetics regulation enquiries.

Lithuania operates a multi-institutional structure that distributes secondary competences across several bodies:

• State Consumer Rights Protection Authority (Valstybinė vartotojų teisių apsaugos tarnyba): supervises distributor obligations (Arts. 6 and 13(3)).
• Lithuanian Customs: import controls for products from third countries.
• State Medicines Control Agency (Valstybinė vaistų kontrolės agentūra): borderline classification between cosmetics and medicinal products.

3. Labelling language requirements

Lithuanian is mandatory for the labelling of cosmetic products placed on the Lithuanian market. The legal basis is Minister of Health Order No. V-634 — the Regulation on the labelling of cosmetic products — which establishes that labelling must be in the official language of the Republic of Lithuania.

INCI ingredient names are exempt from the language requirement as internationally standardised nomenclature. You can look up ingredient names and their applicable restrictions in the CosIng database.

4. National particularities

National Hygiene Norm: microbiological limits for cosmetics

The most significant national particularity in Lithuania is the national Hygiene Norm establishing qualitative and quantitative microbiological limits for finished cosmetic products. Based on LST EN ISO 17516:2015 and SCCS Notes of Guidance, the norm defines two product categories:

• Category 1: products intended for children under 3 years of age, products for the eye area, and products for contact with mucous membranes.
• Category 2: all other cosmetic products.

For each category, quantitative limits on total microbial count and the absence of specific pathogenic microorganisms are established. This national codification of microbiological limits is a significant addition to the EU framework not found in most member states, where operators rely solely on SCCS guidance at the European level.

The exact reference number of this Hygiene Norm has not been verified from a primary source; for the official reference and current limits, consulting the NVSC helpdesk is recommended.

NVSC cosmetics regulation helpdesk

NVSC maintains a dedicated helpdesk for questions on cosmetics regulation — CPNP notifications, labelling, borderline products, and microbiological norm compliance. This national guidance resource is accessible at nvsc.lrv.lt and constitutes the official channel for technical enquiries.

Practical implications of the multi-authority structure

Lithuania's distribution of regulatory competences across several institutions requires manufacturers and importers to understand which authority to engage depending on the nature of the question or the activity at hand:

• CPNP notifications, labelling compliance, market surveillance, and SUE reporting: contact NVSC, which holds the full competent authority role under Regulation 1223/2009 for these functions.
• Distributor obligations under Arts. 6 and 13(3): these fall under the State Consumer Rights Protection Authority. If you are acting as a distributor in Lithuania rather than as a manufacturer or importer, this is your primary regulatory contact.
• Borderline products (where it is unclear whether a product qualifies as a cosmetic or as a medicinal product): the State Medicines Control Agency handles borderline classification. This is particularly relevant for sunscreens with high protection claims, anti-hair-loss products, or products with physiological action claims.
• Third-country imports: Lithuanian Customs performs border controls. Having conformity documentation accessible at the point of import reduces delays.

For other markets in the Nordic and Baltic region, see our guides to Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Estonia, and Latvia.

5. Frequently asked questions

Which authority regulates cosmetics in Lithuania? The NVSC (Nacionalinis visuomenės sveikatos centras / National Public Health Centre under the Ministry of Health) is the primary competent authority for cosmetics in Lithuania, with full market surveillance powers under Regulation 1223/2009. Other institutions — the State Consumer Rights Protection Authority, Lithuanian Customs, and the State Medicines Control Agency — exercise complementary functions in their respective areas.

What language must cosmetic labels be in for Lithuania? Lithuanian is mandatory for cosmetic product labelling, under Minister of Health Order No. V-634. INCI ingredient names are exempt as internationally standardised nomenclature.

Do I need a separate notification for Lithuania? No. A single CPNP notification covers the entire EU market, including Lithuania. There is no additional mandatory national register.

Are there national particularities beyond Regulation 1223/2009? Yes. Lithuania has a national Hygiene Norm that establishes qualitative and quantitative microbiological limits for finished cosmetic products, divided into two categories: Category 1 (products for children under 3, eye-area products, and products for mucous membranes) and Category 2 (all other products). This national norm is a significant addition not found in most EU member states.