Enforcement Procedure in Baltic Countries: Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia

ENIn all three Baltic countries it is considered that enforcement procedure is part of civil procedure law. It is so regardless the fact that also decisions by institutions and officials in administrative violations matters are equally executed according to the same rules. The main reform of enforcement law in Lithuania and Latvia was carried out in year 2003. On this date new Law on Bailiffs in both countries and Lithuanian new Code of Civil Procedure came into force. In Latvia Part E of the Code of Civil Procedure, which regulates execution of court judgments, was widely amended. It can be said that amendments to the Latvian Code of Civil Procedure are being made constantly. In Lithuania amendments are made less frequently and they are overall not so important to the structure of enforcement procedure. In Estonia the procedure of enforcement in Estonia is regulated by the Law of Enforcement Procedure which entered in force on the 1.1.2006. On the 1.3.2001 came into force the new Law on Bailiffs in Estonia and on the 1.1.2010 entered into force of a new version of Bailiffs Act. The amendments of the Act have to do mostly with bankruptcy procedure, which is not the subject of our topic (p. 133).