May has been a very active month for FICIL! Let us start by thanking everyone who contributed towards the success of FICIL High Council 2019!  Work group leaders and members – your input in preparing recommendations, position papers and panel discussions is highly appreciated. Keep reading to find out the main highlights of May including the FICIL High Council 2019 two-day meeting.

23rd High Council meeting with the Government of Latvia

At the end of May, FICIL and the Government of Latvia met for the 23rd time at the High Council meeting to discuss the needed improvements of the investment climate in Latvia. During the meeting, Julia Sundberg, the Chairperson of the FICIL Board, presented FICIL’s vision of the necessary steps towards improving the business climate in Latvia. Main topics included availability and quality of work force, governance in the education and transport sector, fight against economic and financial crime as well as efficiency of the court system. This year, FICIL has published and submitted position papers in seven policy fields as well as the view on the Macroeconomic policy issues to the Government of Latvia. At the end of the meeting, FICIL Honorary Chairperson, Mrs. Charlotte Norrby, and the Prime Minister, Mr. Arturs Krišjānis Kariņš, signed a bilateral communiqué to demonstrate the willingness to continue the cooperation. Photos and summary of the event is available on FICIL’s homepage.

Public Panel Discussion “Tomorrow is the Consequence of Now”

FICIL also held a public discussion  with experts and state officials on 30 May at the SSE Riga, covering two significant areas that contribute to sustainable economic growth. As 2019 marks FICIL’s 20th anniversary, the discussion looked back on the already achieved while placing a strong focus on how the decisions made today would affect the investment climate of Latvia in the future. The first panel discussion “Staffing a Smart Nation” focused on the future of Latvia’s education system and labour force, while “Laying the Tracks Ahead for Latvia” focused on the future of Latvia’s transport sector. Full video recording available on FICIL’s youtube channel.

Meetings with the Ministries

In preparing for the High Council meeting, work group leaders as well as other FICIL representatives held various meetings with Ministry and state institution officials in order to discuss FICIL recommendations.

In a meeting with the Minister of Education, Mrs. Ilga Šuplinska, FICIL representatives presented our view on needed changes in the governance model of higher education institutions, as well as discussed the Ministries priorities in the field of higher education.

FICIL Board also held a meeting with the Minister of Economics to discuss work force shortage, digitalisation, energy sector goals and the agenda of Latvia in the future.

FICIL Labour force issues work group leaders met with representatives from the Ministry of Welfare, Ministry of Economics and State Labour Inspectorate to discuss FICIL’s recommendations regarding mandatory health examination process, the issuance of sick leaves as well as availability of work force.

FICIL also held a meeting with representatives from the Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Interior, Economic Police and Financial and Capital Market Commission to present the Economic and Financial Crime issues work group’s position paper on anti-money laundering, shadow economy and corruption.

We will all soon meet again to celebrate the 20th anniversary of FICIL in the fall, but until then – have a joyful summer!

To find out more, follow us on Twitter or visit our webpage www.ficil.lv . If you have any questions on any of the information mentioned above, we are always here to help: ficil@ficil.lv
-Your FICIL Team