Public Institutions

 

A public institution (in Lithuanian "Viešoji įstaiga", (VšĮ)) is a non-profit public organization with limited civil liability, having the rights of a legal person, Registered according to the Law on Public Institutions and other laws of the Republic of Lithuania. Its purpose is to serve public interests by engaging in activities for the advancement of public benefits.

 

The public institution’s profit cannot be distributed to its founders, members, partners (owner).

 

The founders of public institutions shall be natural and legal persons who have concluded a public institution contract of founding, or a person who has concluded a contract of founding. Natural and legal persons of the Republic of Lithuania and foreign states may become founders of public institutions.
 

A public institution shall conduct accounting, furnish state institutions with financial accounting and statistical information and pay taxes in accordance with the procedure established by laws.

 

In order to perform the activities provided for in the bylaws, a public institution may:

  • old bank accounts in accordance with the procedure established by laws;
  • purchase or otherwise acquire property, manage it, use it and dispose thereof in accordance with the procedure established by laws and institution bylaws;
  • conclude contracts and assume obligations;
  • provide paid services, perform contractual work and set the costs thereof;
  • provide and obtain charity and sponsorship;
  • establish branches and representation offices;
  • reorganize, establish non-profit organizations and enterprises in accordance with the procedure established by laws;
  • use funds for the purpose of implementing the goals established in the bylaws;
  • announce public tenders for the purpose of implementing measures;
  • establish international connections, exchange experts, students and pupils;
  • join non-profit organization associations, including international associations, and take part in their activities.

A public institution does not have the right to:
  • use the earned profits for achieving goals other than those provided for in the bylaws;
  • transfer the ownership rights to assets of a public institution under a trust agreement or loan agreement to a partner of a public institution or a person related to such a partner, with the exception of cases provided for in Article 17 of Part 9 of the Law on Public Institutions of the Republic of Lithuania;
  • borrow money at interest from its own partner or a person related to such a partner;
  • issue guarantees to third parties.

Registration procedure of public institution and information, documents which are needed for registration

The registration of public institution should be started from filling the symbolic name reservation application.

 

The Civil Code of the Republic of Lithuania (Article 2.39 of Part 3) prescribes that "the name of the legal entity shall not contradict the social order and principles of morality or mislead the public as to the incorporator of the legal entity, its member, place of registration, corporate goals, legal form or because of its identity with or similarity to the names of other legal entities, names of foreign enterprises, institutions and organizations, trade marks that are known to the Lithuanian public. The name of a legal entity shall not be confusingly similar or identical to well known trade marks or trade marks that have been already registered." Part 1 of Article 2.40 of the Civil Code of the Republic of Lithuania states that "the name of a legal entity must be made up of words or combinations of words used in a direct or figurative meaning." Part 2 of Article 2.40 of the Civil Code states that "the name of a legal entity must be made up in compliance with the norms of the standard Lithuanian language and it may not be made up only of a word (words) identifying only a direct type of activities or only of a place-name, or only of another word (words) which does not have a distinguishing feature".
 

The founders of public institutions shall be natural and legal persons who have concluded a public institution contract of founding, or a person who has concluded a contract of founding. Natural and legal persons of the Republic of Lithuania and foreign states may become founders of public institutions. The founders of a public institution shall adopt the bylaws of the institution upon having formed the contract of founding.

 

If you choose to use our services, you should provide us with the following documents:

Where the founder is a legal person:

  • the contract of founding of a public institution, copies of the registration certificate and the bylaws or Extract from the Register. If the founder is a foreign company - the copy of the contract of founding of a public institution, registration certificate and bylaws must be certified by the Apostille or notarially, provided that a relevant agreement by the Republic of Lithuania and the country whose resident is the founder has been signed and is in force;
  • a document confirming the adoption of a decision to form a public institution or participate in it;
  • if the documents of formation are to be signed by a person other than the head of the founder company, a power of attorney is required (if the founder is a foreign company - the power of attorney must be certified by the Apostille or notarially, provided that a relevant agreement by the Republic of Lithuania and the country whose resident is the founder has been signed and is in force).

Where the founder is a natural person:
  • Passport data (first name, surname, home address, nationality, personal ID No., passport series and No.).

The following information is also required:
  • Name of the institution. Where the founder is a legal person, full name of the founder company or its part may be used, with or without additions (the use of the words "Lietuva" or "Lithuania" is restricted and is possible subject to permission of the Government of Lithuania).
  • Legal address in Lithuania and a written consent of the owner of the premises to provide the premises.
  • Passport data of director of the institution being founded (first name, surname, home address, nationality, personal ID No.) and contact phone No.
  • Projected activities and purposes of the institution being founded.