The Ministry of Environment is submitting for approval a description of the terms and conditions for financing projects under the Development Programme's progress measure "Increasing resilience to extreme hydrometeorological events" for the activity "Implementation of measures to reduce the risk of flooding". This document will set out the conditions for the financing of projects for municipalities seeking to implement flood risk management measures in Central and Western Lithuania.

The European Union Funds Investment Programme is to provide €34 million for flood prevention in 2021–2027. The funds will be directed to projects that will help municipalities protect their population, infrastructure and property from the increasing frequency of floods.

„This funding scheme is particularly important for municipalities that would not be able to invest enough in effective flood prevention measures on their own. The support from EU funds will make regions more resilient to climate change and significantly improve the quality of life of the population,“ says Justas Ruškys, Vice-Minister of the Environment.

In recent years, Lithuania, like other countries around the world, has been experiencing more and more precipitation due to climate change, and the risk of flooding is steadily increasing. Floods are particularly damaging in the western region of Lithuania, where they threaten both the environment and people's property.

The investment will be open to 12 municipalities in the Nemunas and Lielupe river basins. These municipalities, including the cities and districts of Klaipėda and Kaunas, the municipalities of Kretinga, Kėdainiai, Jurbarkas, Šilutė, Ukmergė, Panevėžys, Marijampolė and Pagėgiai, are planning to implement 43 flood-risk reduction measures. The focus will be on building new embankments and raising existing ones, as well as raising roads.

Municipalities and flood protection measures are included in Annex 4 of the National Action Plan for the Implementation of the National Water Framework 2022–2027.

Municipalities will be able to cover up to 85% of the costs with EU funds, and will have to contribute the rest themselves.

Comments and proposals on this draft can be submitted to the Legislative Acts Information System (LAS) until 6 November.