Latvia

LT Libraries - ESIF

GDP pc (eur)

20.720 (2022)

Population (mil)

1.8

Lib expenditure (000)

51.645 (2021)

As a ‰ of GDP

1.3

Expenditure for cultural services (Ml Euro)

325.13 (2021)

Lib exp’ture as a % of cultural expenditure

15%

European Structural and Investment Funds (PO 4 and 5)

A Focus on Innovation, Research, and Employment

While specific details on Policy Objectives 4 and 5 might be challenging to pinpoint, we can examine how Latvia has leveraged Structural Funds to address the broader themes typically associated with these objectives.

Innovation and Research

  • Research and Development Infrastructure: Latvia has invested in research institutions, science parks, and technology centers to create a conducive environment for innovation.
  • Support for SMEs: Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) have been a focal point for Structural Fund support. Programs have been implemented to encourage innovation, research, and development within these businesses.
  • Digitalization: Latvia has prioritized digital transformation across sectors, including e-government, e-health, and e-commerce, with support from Structural Funds.

Employment and Labor Market

  • Education and Skills Development: Structural Funds have been used to improve education and training systems, focusing on skills development aligned with labor market demands. This includes vocational training, higher education, and lifelong learning programs.
  • Active Labor Market Policies: Latvia has implemented policies to support job seekers, including job placement services, training programs, and entrepreneurship support.
  • Social Inclusion: Efforts have been made to address social exclusion and promote equal opportunities through employment initiatives targeting disadvantaged groups.

Challenges and Opportunities

Despite progress, Latvia faces challenges in maximizing the impact of Structural Funds. These include:

  • Absorbing Funds Efficiently: Ensuring effective utilization of allocated funds remains a priority.
  • Strengthening Research and Innovation Ecosystem: Further development of the research and innovation ecosystem is needed to enhance competitiveness.
  • Addressing Skill Mismatches: Aligning education and training programs with labor market demands is an ongoing challenge.

For the 2021-2027 programming period, Latvia is involved in the following Interreg programs: Cross-Border Cooperation.

Interreg VI-A Estonia-Latvia Programme: Focuses on strengthening cooperation between Estonia and Latvia in various areas, including innovation, environment, and accessibility.

Interreg VI-A Latvia-Lithuania Programme: Aims to enhance cross-border cooperation between Latvia and Lithuania, focusing on economic development, innovation, and environmental protection.

Interregional Cooperation

While Latvia is actively engaged in cross-border cooperation through programs like Interreg Estonia-Latvia and Interreg Latvia-Lithuania, it also participates in the broader Interreg Europe program. Interreg Europe is a pan-European program that supports regional development through exchange of experiences and knowledge. It allows regions to collaborate on addressing common challenges. Unlike the cross-border programs, Interreg Europe doesn’t have a predefined list of participating regions. Instead, regions form partnerships based on shared interests and priorities.

Latvian projects within ESIF 2021-2027

Investment will be made in development cloud service competence centers and service provisions, enabling future interoperability with a European federated cloud. Investments are intended for: the Latvian State Radio and Television Center (SM), and Latvian National libraries (KM). “Computer library” education will be developed in cooperation with the involved parties management model in institutions, defining both the priority groups of learners as well as technical support, maintenance and maintenance of “computer libraries”. It is planned to develop recommendations for municipalities and educational institutions “computer for the creation of libraries” in educational institutions, ensuring the availability of ICT units for the learners who need it most, for the learning process to would increase the effectiveness of education and reduce inequality. Country Regional and local road renewal is very important for municipalities and the state could ensure the availability of services even in those areas where there are none relevant infrastructures (mobile social service, mobile libraries, car shops, ambulance, civil defense measures, etc.), as well as to the municipality could organize garbage collection, communal services provision, promote business in the entire administrative territory of the municipality, including the inhabitants of villages and homesteads typical of Latvia.

From 20 to 30 August 2023, the National Library of Latvia organized the summer school “Library as a Cultural Space for Community” within the framework of the European Commission’s “EU4Dialogue” project “EU4Dialogue: Improving exchanges across the divide through education and culture”. This time its participants are representatives of academic, public and national libraries, as well as representatives of museums and cultural sector non-governmental organizations from the Republic of Azerbaijan, Georgia and Moldova, including the Transnistrian region.

The goal of the summer school is to promote mutual communication, joint learning and unity by sharing the best practices of Latvian libraries and other cultural institutions in order to develop professional skills and competences in four thematic blocks: 1) library information resources and their management; 2) digitization and preservation of cultural heritage; 3) planning and development of services of libraries and cultural institutions; 4) cooperation with various organizations and local communities in the field of culture.

It is achieved through cooperation between Ludza, Rokiškis and Jēkabpils libraries. Libraries offering comfortable and pleasant conditions for families will be a place for socialisation and communication and where people can feel equal. Project activities: entertaining and educational activities “Family Time”; opportunity for parents and grandparents to participate in GAME hours in library premises; two joint festivals in Ludza and Rokiški with the participation of the most active families with children; joint seminars of the librarians involved in the project in Jēkabpils, Ludza and Rokiški, as well as a study trip to the libraries of Helsinki (Finland); purchase of interactive equipment, books, games in libraries for organizing project activities; creation of game platform “HOME” with information about partner municipalities, their institutions, natural and tourist objects – freely available in partner libraries. Project duration: 01.07.2020 – 31.10.2022 The project is financed by Interreg Latvia – Lithuania Programme 2014-2020I