Lithuania launches ‘Investment Highway’ to cut major project approval times from three years to three months

Lithuania has launched the Investment Highway, a fast-track framework that allows strategic projects — from defence plants to data centres — to break ground in months rather than years, offering 0% corporate tax and streamlined approvals in what officials call Europe’s quickest investment regime

Lithuania has introduced a radical fast-track system for strategic investment, allowing large-scale projects to move from decision to construction in as little as three months in a change officials say will make the country Europe’s fastest location for industrial development.

The new framework, known as the Investment Highway, took effect on 1 November 2025 and is designed to remove long-standing bureaucratic barriers in territorial planning and construction permitting. The initiative enables investors to begin building immediately after submitting a construction notice, while formal permitting runs in parallel, and to carry out work in phases as designs are finalised.

According to the country’s Ministry of the Economy and Innovation, the reforms could halve pre-construction times across all major projects, reducing the typical 36-month process to around 19 months. 

In Lithuania’s seven Free Economic Zones, where planning is already complete, projects could begin within nine months instead of two years. Defence projects, identified as a national priority, will move even faster — from 36 months down to just three months in non-urbanised areas and ten months in cities.

“The new rules make Lithuania an even more investor-friendly country, where major projects can be launched without delays,” Edvinas Grikšas, Minister of the Economy and Innovation, said. “While community involvement and environmental impact assessments remain integral to project implementation, the initiative ensures faster decisions and clearer processes. We are sending a clear message to global investors: Lithuania does not just welcome investment – we have built the infrastructure to make it happen faster than anywhere else in the region.”

Beyond cutting timelines, the Investment Highway provides qualifying investors with a suite of financial and operational benefits. Eligible projects can receive 0% corporate tax for up to 20 years, are assigned a dedicated case manager from Invest Lithuania, and gain access to state land via non-auction leases and pre-designated strategic sites.

The framework also streamlines migration procedures for international specialists, accelerating visas and work permits, and includes cooperation with universities to create tailored training programmes aligned to investors’ skills requirements.

Projects in sectors such as cleantech, data centres and defence can qualify if they meet investment and employment thresholds. Standard criteria are a €20 million capital investment and 150 new jobs (or 20 for manufacturing projects) maintained for at least five years. In Vilnius, where costs and density are higher, the thresholds rise to €30 million and 200 jobs (or 20 for manufacturing).

Defence initiatives have lower entry requirements: investments of around €1.5 million and at least 20 employees for three years can qualify if they address urgent national security needs, as determined by the Ministry of National Defence.

“Lithuania’s defence sector represents a critical strategic priority, and we see tremendous potential for growth,” Elijus Čivilis, General Manager of Invest Lithuania, added. “With world-class capabilities in lasers, drones, semiconductors, and other advanced technologies already established here, we are ready to attract not just industry giants like Rheinmetall, but also innovative smaller companies.”

READ MORE: ‘Dominican Republic positions itself as Caribbean hub for sustainable trade and investment‘. With historic growth in both exports and foreign direct investment, supported by structural reforms and innovative tools such as the Single Investment Window, the country is presenting itself as a strategic partner for Europe and the wider world.

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