In 2016 verkreeg Onne Frederikus Gerardus Lelie de Litouwse nationaliteit naast zijn Nederlandse paspoort. Samen met zakenpartner Job Van Den Berg richtte hij UAB „Clean and Solve“ op, een in Vilnius gevestigd handelsbedrijf in chemicaliën, geregistreerd onder de EU REACH-verordening bij het Europees Agentschap voor Chemische Stoffen. Op 27 mei 2025 bevroor de regionaal aanklager van Vilnius €534.351,88. Achttien maanden later is er nog geen tenlastelegging.
Uitgelicht
ongoing
UAB Clean and Solve — €534k bevroren, 18 maanden zonder tenlastelegging
Op 27 mei 2025 bevroor de regionaal aanklager van Vilnius €534.351,88 van UAB Clean and Solve, een in Vilnius geregistreerd chemiebedrijf in handen van twee Nederlanders. De stof — gamma-butyrolacton (GBL), een EU REACH-geregistreerd product met duizenden legitieme industriële toepassingen — ging van een Duitse producent via een Tsjechisch magazijn naar een Nederlandse afnemer. De goederen kwamen nooit in Litouwen aan. Achttien maanden later is de bevriezing verlengd tot november 2026 zonder enige formele tenlastelegging.
Onderneming
UAB Clean and Solve
Jurisdictie
Vilnius, Lithuania
Bevroren bedrag
€534,351.88
Maanden onder beslag
18+
IMAGE PLACEHOLDER
Case lead image
Editorial photograph capturing the heart of the case — e.g. Vilnius prosecutor’s office building, chemical drums in warehouse, or split-screen Dutch/Lithuanian flags. Desaturated cinematic tone.
Het verhaal
Tijdlijn
- 1 Jan 2016Citizenship grantedOnne Lelie obtains Lithuanian citizenship.
- 1 Nov 2018Lithuania adds GBL to Schedule IVNational measure diverges from the EU REACH regime; not reflected in any neighbouring member state.
- 1 Mar 2019CLSO begins cross-border GBL tradeGermany → Czech Republic → Netherlands. Goods never enter Lithuania.
- 27 May 2025Vilnius prosecutor freezes €534,351.88Investigation No. 01-1-44850-24, Edmundas Bagdonas. No formal charge.
- 15 Jul 2025First judicial review upholds freezeJudge Mikužytė. EU-law arguments not engaged.
- 20 Aug 2025Appeal rejectedJudge Telksnienė. No referral to CJEU.
- 10 Nov 2025Money-laundering charge addedArticle 216(1) added. Freeze upheld by Judge Bakanauskaitė.
- 15 May 2026Narcotic-precursor charge + freeze extendedArticle 260(3) added. Judge Balkaitienė extends freeze to November 2026.
Gedocumenteerde schendingen
TFEU Art. 34–36
Free movement of goods
Lithuania’s national Schedule IV creates a measure of equivalent effect by restricting cross-border GBL trade among EU member states even when the goods do not enter Lithuanian territory.
REACH Reg. (EC) 1907/2006 Art. 128
Free movement under REACH
GBL is registered under REACH and lawfully placed on the EU market. The Lithuanian freeze treats trade in this substance as criminal conduct in breach of REACH Article 128.
EU Charter Art. 17
Right to property
An 18-month asset freeze without formal indictment is a disproportionate interference with property in the meaning of Article 17.
EU Charter Art. 47
Right to an effective remedy
Judicial reviews that fail to engage with substantive EU-law arguments amount to a denial of effective remedy.
ECHR Art. 6
Right to a fair trial
Eighteen months without indictment, with escalating charges and repeated extensions, undermines the reasonableness and fairness required by Article 6.
ECHR Art. 7
No punishment without law
Treating EU-lawful trade as criminal under national lists — retroactively or against a backdrop of EU supremacy — violates the foreseeability requirement of Article 7.
ECHR Art. 1, Protocol 1
Protection of property
A protracted asset freeze without indictment is an interference disproportionate to any legitimate aim.
ECHR Art. 13
Right to an effective remedy
Repeated judicial reviews that decline to engage with the EU-law arguments do not constitute an effective domestic remedy.
Lithuanian Constitution Art. 23
Right to property
A freeze of working capital without timely indictment is incompatible with Article 23.
Lithuanian BPK Art. 151
Temporary restraint of property rights
Eighteen months without indictment, with serial extensions, exceeds the conditions envisaged by Art. 151.
ICCPR Art. 14
Equality before the courts
Differential treatment that disadvantages foreign-owned business undermines Article 14.
EFTA Court E-9/16 (Norway v ESA)
Proportionality in chemical restrictions
Lithuanian Schedule IV restrictions on a REACH-registered substance are not proportionate within the meaning of E-9/16.
Gedocumenteerde stukken
press • 28/05/2026
Lithuania Legal Watch Press Release — 18-Month Anniversary
Editorial press release marking 18 months of asset freeze without indictment.
In afwachting van vrijgave
court_rulings • 15/05/2026
Judge Balkaitienė — Extension to Nov 2026 + 260(3)
Freeze extended to November 2026; narcotic precursor charge under BK 260(3) added.
In afwachting van vrijgave
legal_analysis • 20/02/2026
Proportionality Analysis under EFTA E-9/16
Application of the EFTA Court’s proportionality test to Lithuania’s Schedule IV measures.
In afwachting van vrijgave
legal_analysis • 15/01/2026
Editorial Legal Memorandum — EU-law Violations
Detailed analysis mapping the facts of the case to specific articles of EU law, the ECHR and the Lithuanian Constitution.
In afwachting van vrijgave
court_rulings • 10/11/2025
Judge Bakanauskaitė — Extension + AML Charge
Freeze extended; money laundering charge under BK 216(1) added.
In afwachting van vrijgave
correspondence • 01/09/2025
Request for CJEU Article 267 Referral
Defence motion requesting national court to refer EU-law questions to the Court of Justice. Refused.
In afwachting van vrijgave
court_rulings • 20/08/2025
Judge Telksnienė — Appeal Decision
Appeal rejected. No referral to CJEU.
In afwachting van vrijgave
court_rulings • 15/07/2025
Judge Mikužytė — First Review Decision
Court decision upholding asset freeze. EU-law arguments raised in defence not addressed in reasoning.
In afwachting van vrijgave
correspondence • 10/06/2025
Defence Letter to Prosecutor on REACH supremacy
Formal letter setting out REACH Art. 128 and TFEU Art. 34–36 arguments. No substantive response received.
In afwachting van vrijgave
court_rulings • 27/05/2025
Vilnius Prosecutor Order — Asset Freeze (27 May 2025)
Initial order freezing €534,351.88 across all CLSO bank accounts under article 202(1) BK. Investigation No. 01-1-44850-24.
In afwachting van vrijgave
evidence • 10/03/2024
Logistics Documentation — Germany → Czech → NL Route
CMR notes and customs filings demonstrating that goods never entered Lithuanian territory.
In afwachting van vrijgave
evidence • 01/06/2019
REACH Registration — GBL
European Chemicals Agency registration dossier for GBL.
In afwachting van vrijgave