Law and Regulations, Legislation, Lithuania

The law sets up the legal framework and the principles governing the work of private detectives, lists qualification requirements for pursuing the trade of a private detective, regulates the organisation, execution and oversight of private investigative activities, and identifies the services, rights and duties of private detectives. A total of 83 MPs voted in favour of the draft with no votes against and four abstentions.

Under the new law, in order to work as a private detective, an individual must have a good repute; a degree in law issued by a higher education institution; a certificate of completion of private detectives' training programme or at least two years of professional experience in law enforcement or intelligence agencies; and pass the qualifying examination.

The law also establishes an exhaustive list of services that private detectives can provide. Private detectives, acting either on their own, in groups, or as part of associations, will be able, without violating the law, to search for persons gone missing or recognised as missing under the legislation in force, as well as for debtors and their assets, conduct trustworthiness and solvency assessment of individuals, identify data regarding unfair competition or commercial activity from stolen, missing, wasted or otherwise lost property of the client or property rights documents, conduct retrieval of other asset-based information, as well as collect and study the data on client's origin, lineage, biography and other matters.

Private detectives will be required to respect and protect human dignity, rights and freedoms, protect the confidential data entrusted to them during their detective activities and not divulge it in any circumstances with the exception of cases prescribed by law.

The law will come into force on 1 January 2016.

At present, both legal and natural persons may engage in private detective activities without any restrictions.