Data-centre rules
Data centre regulation in Lithuania
Our tracker lists 10 rules for building and running a data centre in Lithuania, national and EU, and 7 of them are in force.
Each comes with its status, who it applies to and the next date that matters. When a rule here changes, the change is logged below with its date.
Rules that apply in Lithuania
National rules first, then the EU rules every member state applies. Status as on the tracker.
| Rule | Level | Status | Applies to | Next date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Energy Efficiency Law No. XII-2702, Article 16(1) to (4), in the wording of Law No. XV-237 of 5 June 2025 (annual data centre reporting) | National | In force since 1 October 2025 | New and existing sites. Operators of data centres with installed IT power demand of 500 kW or more: publish the listed indicators on their website and submit them to the EU data centre database; website publication waived where the data centre holds defence, civil protection or classified information; trade secrets go to the database but not the website; operators at 1 MW or more are recommended to follow the EU Code of Conduct | 15 May 2027 (annual deadline 15 May) |
| Energy Efficiency Law No. XII-2702, Article 15(1) point 4, (3) and (4), in the wording of Law No. XV-237 (cost-benefit analysis for data centres) | National | In force since 1 October 2025 | New sites and major refurbishments. Owners, future owners or developers of a planned new data centre, or of a refurbishment costing more than 50% of the investment for a new one of the same capacity, where electricity input capacity exceeds 1 MW; the analysis follows the Government's procedure and covers using the waste heat, connecting to efficient district heating or cooling, other waste heat uses and cooling system options | No date published |
| Energy Efficiency Law No. XII-2702, Article 16(5), in the wording of Law No. XV-237 (duty to use waste heat) | National | In force since 1 October 2025 | New and existing sites. New and existing data centres with more than 1 MW total rated power must use their waste heat, unless the Article 15 cost-benefit analysis shows it is technically impossible or economically impossible | No date published |
| Cybersecurity Law No. XII-1428, Article 2(7), Article 11(2) to (4) and Annex 1 point 8.1.5 (data centre service providers) | National | In force since 18 October 2024 (new wording by Law No. XIV-2902 of 11 July 2024); current text from 4 July 2026 | New and existing sites. Data centre service providers: essential entities above the medium enterprise thresholds, important entities above the small enterprise thresholds; duties apply from registration in the Cyber Security Information System | No date published |
| EED reporting, Article 12 and Delegated Regulation 2024/1364 | EU | In force | New and existing sites. Data centres ≥500 kW installed IT power | 15 May 2027, next annual report |
| EED waste heat, Article 26(6) | EU | In force | New and existing sites. Data centres >1 MW total rated energy input | Ongoing duty |
| EED energy management systems, Article 11 | EU | In force as a Directive duty on Member States; deadline not yet reached | Enterprises, including data-centre operators, with average annual energy consumption above 85 TJ (23.6 GWh) over the previous three years, all energy carriers together | 11 October 2027, certified energy management system in place |
| EU rating scheme, delegated regulation adopted 21 Sep 2026 | EU | Adopted, in Parliament and Council scrutiny | New and existing sites. Same ≥500 kW reporting population | In force 20 days after Official Journal publication, if not objected to |
| EU minimum performance standards | EU | Consultation open | Not yet defined | 14 December 2026, consultation closes |
| Cloud and AI Development Act, COM(2026) 502 | EU | Proposal, with Parliament and Council | Cloud and AI infrastructure providers broadly | No fixed date |
Lithuania in detail
What the national rules say, with the legal texts.
Lithuania obliges data centres to use their waste heat. Since 1 October 2025 the Energy Efficiency Law requires data centres with more than 1 MW of total rated power to use their waste heat unless a cost-benefit analysis shows this is technically or economically impossible, and requires that analysis for every planned new data centre above 1 MW of electricity input capacity, or a refurbishment costing over 50% of a new one. Operators of data centres with 500 kW or more of installed IT power must publish their energy indicators on their website and send them to the EU database by 15 May each year. Data centre service providers are also a named sector under the Cybersecurity Law, in force in its NIS2 wording since 18 October 2024.
Dates to watch
The next dates for Lithuania and the EU, soonest first.
- 14 Dec 2026The EU Commission's minimum performance standards consultation and call for evidence closes
- 15 May 2027EU database due every year
- 11 Oct 2027EU deadline under Article 11 of the Energy Efficiency Directive for a certified energy management system at enterprises above 85 TJ (23.6 GWh) of annual energy consumption
Formal refusals and bans since 2025
Verified decisions only. Absence is not evidence of low planning risk.
No formal refusal or ban recorded for Lithuania in this register. The register covers decisions we have verified, not every decision taken.
Decisions from 1 Jan 2025; statuses checked 11 Oct 2026.
What changed
Every change to these rules on the tracker, newest first.
- 18 Oct 2026Added to the tracker: EED energy management systems, Article 11 (In force as a Directive duty on Member States; deadline not yet reached).
- 15 Oct 2026Added to the tracker: Energy Efficiency Law No. XII-2702, Article 16(1) to (4), in the wording of Law No. XV-237 of 5 June 2025 (annual data centre reporting) (In force since 1 October 2025).
- 15 Oct 2026Added to the tracker: Energy Efficiency Law No. XII-2702, Article 15(1) point 4, (3) and (4), in the wording of Law No. XV-237 (cost-benefit analysis for data centres) (In force since 1 October 2025).
- 15 Oct 2026Added to the tracker: Energy Efficiency Law No. XII-2702, Article 16(5), in the wording of Law No. XV-237 (duty to use waste heat) (In force since 1 October 2025).
- 15 Oct 2026Added to the tracker: Cybersecurity Law No. XII-1428, Article 2(7), Article 11(2) to (4) and Annex 1 point 8.1.5 (data centre service providers) (In force since 18 October 2024 (new wording by Law No. XIV-2902 of 11 July 2024); current text from 4 July 2026).
Get an alert for Lithuania
We write to this list when a rule here changes status or a date moves, usually within a week of the change appearing in the log above. Nothing else, and your address is never shared.
Questions
Which rules apply to a data centre in Lithuania?
Our tracker lists 10 rules for building and running a data centre in Lithuania, national and EU, and 7 of them are in force.
What is the next date for data centre rules in Lithuania?
The next date is 14 Dec 2026: the EU Commission's minimum performance standards consultation and call for evidence closes.
From the European data-centre regulation tracker, which cites the legal text for every rule. Data-centre market data for Lithuania.
Sources: EUR-Lex (Official Journal of the EU), European Commission, Seimas of Lithuania.