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Decision X/25: Compliance with the Montreal Protocol by Lithuania

The Tenth Meeting of the Parties decided in Dec. X/25:

  1. To note that Lithuania acceded to the Montreal Protocol on 18 January 1995, and acceded to the London and Copenhagen Amendments on 3 February 1998. The country is classified as a non-Article 5 Party under the Protocol and, for 1996, reported positive consumption of 295 ODP tonnes ODP of Annex A and B substances, none of which was for essential uses exempted by the Parties. As a consequence, in 1996, Lithuania was in non-compliance with its control obligations under Articles 2A through 2E of the Montreal Protocol. Lithuania also expresses a belief that this situation may continue through at least the year 2000, necessitating annual review by the Implementation Committee and the Parties until such time as Lithuania comes into compliance;
  2. To note with appreciation the fact that Lithuania has made tremendous strides in coming into compliance with the Montreal Protocol. Although Lithuania ratified the Protocol just three years ago, it has decreased its consumption steadily from 1986, when it was estimated at 6,089 tonnes, to 1993, when its consumption was estimated at 935 ODP tonnes, to 1995, when its consumption was 428 tonnes, to 1996 when its consumption of Annex A and B substances is reported at 295 tonnes. Lithuania is very clear in admitting that a substantial reason for the significant reduction in consumption is due to the economic turmoil that has been taking place in its country. After review of the submissions and presentation to the Implementation Committee, it is noted that Lithuania commits:
  • To ban the import of CFC-113, carbon tetrachloride and methyl chloroform by 1 January 2000; and
  • To reduce the consumption of Annex A and B substances by 86 per cent from 1996 levels by 1 January 2000;
  • To note that achievement of these goals will necessitate a strict application of Lithuania’s existing import licensing system to ensure that phased reductions and reduced reliance on ozone-depleting substances continue to take place, and indeed, the Lithuania country programme includes a commitment to make arrangements with its customs department to ensure that imports are ceased. Ensuring that requirement to cease imports is particularly important given the pending closure of CFC producers in Russian Federation, supply on which Lithuania has traditionally depended. Noting Lithuania’s obvious commitment to the Montreal Protocol, it is hopeful that the country will be able to achieve a total phase-out of Annex A and B substances by 1 January 2001. In so stating, the Parties noted but specifically rejected a request by Lithuania to allow for continuous imports until 2005 for servicing existing refrigeration equipment. The Parties, in so doing, note that achieving a phase-out by 1 January 2001 may necessitate that Lithuania increase the recovery of existing ODS or the import of recycled material, and urge Lithuania to plan carefully for its future refrigerant-servicing needs and invite the Technology and Economic Assessment Panel to help in this endeavour. The Parties will closely monitor the progress of Lithuania towards meeting the above-noted commitments to reduce CFC-113, carbon-tetrachloride and methyl-chloroform use prior to the next Meeting of the Parties, and to put in place by June 1999 a requirement to cease imports of these substances by 1 January 2000 (save for essential uses authorized by the Parties);
  • To closely monitor the progress of Lithuania with regard to the phase-out of ozone-depleting substances, particularly towards meeting the specific commitments noted above. In this regard, the Parties request that Lithuania submit a complete copy of its country programme, and subsequent updates, if any, to the Ozone Secretariat. To the degree that Lithuania is working towards and meeting the specific time-based commitments noted above and continues to report data annually demonstrating a decrease in imports and consumption, Lithuania should continue to be treated in the same manner as a Party in good standing. In this regard, Lithuania should receive international assistance to enable it to meet these commitments in accordance with item A of the indicative list of measures that might be taken by a meeting of the Parties in respect of non-compliance. However, through this decision, the Parties caution Lithuania, in accordance with item B of the indicative list of measures, that in the event that the country fails to meet the commitments noted above in the times specified, the Parties shall consider measures, consistent with item C of the indicative list of measures. These measures could include the possibility of actions that may be available under Article 4, designed to ensure that the supply of CFCs and halons that is the subject of non-compliance is ceased, and that exporting Parties are not contributing to a continuing situation of non-compliance.