On January 24th, the Foreign Investors Council in Latvia (FICIL) met with the Minister of Transport, Kaspars Briškens. Discussion focused on good governance, optimising public procurement practices, and promoting green initiatives within the transport sector. The Council, represented by Chairperson Zlata Elksniņa-Zaščirinska (PwC), Vice-Chairperson Reinhold Schneider (Schwenk), and various work group leaders, put forth arguments for the necessity of a more fair and centralised and competent public procurement process. They advocated for an evaluation framework that values quality as much as price, ensuring fair competition and wider private sector participation in tenders.

Māris Butāns (PwC), leader of the FICIL Fair Competition and Public Procurement subgroup, stressed the importance of improving the competency of the public procurement process through centralised efforts and enhanced cooperation among state officials. Mr. Butāns called for a procurement evaluation framework that goes beyond price, recognising quality as a critical qualification factor, to prevent the unjust exclusion of contenders and encourage broader participation.

Jānis Grants (DPD), leading the Green Transport & Infrastructure subgroup, highlighted the urgent need for incentives (“carrots”) to encourage businesses to adopt more environmentally friendly transportation solutions. Mr. Grants emphasised that achieving the sector’s emission reduction goals requires an extensive information campaign paired with tangible incentives to drive the private sector towards sustainable transport.

Minister Briškens expressed his gratitude to FICIL for their continuous recommendations aimed at improving the investment climate. Minister introduced the ministry’s initiatives for the greening of the transport sector, highlighting efforts to integrate sustainability into all future transport and infrastructure investments. Acknowledging the issues raised about the public procurement process, the Minister agreed on the necessity for modernisation and enhancement.

The meeting concluded with a mutual commitment from both Mr. Briškens and FICIL representatives to maintain an open dialogue and exchange ideas. This collaborative approach aims to foster a transparent, modern, and sustainable transport sector in Latvia, reflecting a shared vision for progress and innovation.