Soviet-era Lithuania had limited opportunities to participate actively in the world trade area and it had to be content with trading in the failed Soviet Union republics’ markets. Since regaining its independence, Lithuania has opened new trade routes to the West. The focal changes were observed a good decade after the recovery of freedom, when the country joined the European Union (EU). However, despite a broadening of Lithuanian integration into the global market, the country is still burdened by the Soviet occupation’s concept of work and capital intensive production processes and techniques. This has caused negative effects on foreign trade for Lithuania, in particular, during the Russian crisis and the recent global finan- cial crisis.