We invite you to join the presentation and the discussion on the third FICIL Sentiment Index 2017. 

January 10, 2018 at 10:00, Stockholm School of Economics in Riga (Strēlnieku iela 4a).

How do foreign investors assess the business environment in Latvia – what are the areas of concern and what are the necessary improvements, where is there progress? What steps are policy makers willing to take to improve the attractiveness of the investment environment? How can we work together to build long-term competitiveness and mutual trust? Is there a gap between the legal framework and real life?

The goal is to put forward mutually beneficial, realistic and forward-looking recommendations to policy makers, which tackle demographic decline, increase the availability and quality of the labour force, strengthen the rule of law, and ensure a predictable and efficient tax system and administration in order to  improve the economic competitiveness of Latvia. FICIL aims to create evidence-based policy aiming to improve the business environment and investment climate in Latvia.

Agenda:

10:00–10:05

Opening, Marta Jaksona, Executive Director at the Foreign Investors’ Council of Latvia (FICIL)

10:05–10:45

Presentation of the “FICIL Sentiment Index 2017” by Dr. Arnis Sauka, Director of the Centre for Sustainable Business at SSE Riga.

*In English with simultaneous translation in Latvian

10:45–11:25

Panel discussion “Building Trust: Setting the Agenda for 2018 and the Way Forward”  moderated by Mārtiņš Vaivars, CEO and Founder of Toneboard

Participants:

Arvils Ašeradens, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister for Economics of the Republic of Latvia

Dana Reizniece-Ozola, Minister for Finance of the Republic of Latvia

Roberts Zīle, Member of the European Parliament

Uldis Rutkaste, Head of Monetary Policy Department of the Bank of Latvia

*In Latvian with simultaneous translation in English

11:25–11:35 Q&A

About FICIL Sentiment Index

The FICIL Sentiment Index is commissioned by the Foreign Investors’ Council in Latvia and prepared by Dr. Arnis Sauka, Director of the Centre for Sustainable Business at SSE Riga.

Latvian economic competitiveness is examined from a foreign investors’ perception about the quality of labour, education and science, health and social security, business legislation, as well as demand for products and services, attitude towards foreign investors, hard infrastructure, soft infrastructure, demography and efficiency of labour. Additionally, the research also look into the standard of living in Latvia, as a supportive measure to evaluate the attraction and retention of talented workforce.

The production of the FICIL Sentiment Index 2017 is generously supported by the British Embassy Riga and the U.S. Embassy Riga.