# Latvia - United States Department of State

- Latvia HomeReportsBureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor2023 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices&#8230;Latvia				hide	document.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded", function(event) {	if(window.jQuery) {		jQuery( document ).ready(function() {			if (jQuery(".bc_middle").hasClass("collapse")) {				jQuery(".bc_ellipse").click(function(){					jQuery(".bc_hide").toggleClass("visible");					jQuery(".bc_middle").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_ellipse").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_content").toggleClass("noflex");					jQuery(".block_breadcrumbs_content").toggleClass("noflex");				});				jQuery(".bc_hide").click(function(){					jQuery(".bc_hide").toggleClass("visible");					jQuery(".bc_middle").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_ellipse").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_content").toggleClass("noflex");					jQuery(".block_breadcrumbs_content").toggleClass("noflex");				});			} else {				jQuery(".bc_ellipse").hide();			}		});	}});																							2023 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices: Latvia																																					Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor																																																																																							Download Report																																																							Translations																																																																 In this section										/																							EXECUTIVE SUMMARY																																													EXECUTIVE SUMMARY																															Section 1. Respect for the Integrity of the Person																																																									a. Arbitrary Deprivation of Life and Other Unlawful or Politically Motivated Killings																																																																											b. Disappearance																																																																											c. Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman, or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, and Other Related Abuses																																																																			Prison and Detention Center Conditions																																																																																																																		d. Arbitrary Arrest or Detention																																																																			Arrest Procedures and Treatment of Detainees																																																																																																																		e. Denial of Fair Public Trial																																																																			Trial Procedures																																																								Political Prisoners and Detainees																																																																																																																		f. Transnational Repression																																																																											g. Property Seizure and Restitution																																																																											h. Arbitrary or Unlawful Interference with Privacy, Family, Home, or Correspondence																																																																																	Section 2. Respect for Civil Liberties																																																									a. Freedom of Expression, Including for Members of the Press and Other Media																																																																			Internet Freedom																																																																																																																		b. Freedoms of Peaceful Assembly and Association																																																																			Freedom of Peaceful Assembly																																																								Freedom of Association																																																																																																																		c. Freedom of Religion																																																																											d. Freedom of Movement and the Right to Leave the Country																																																																											e. Protection of Refugees																																																																											f. Status and Treatment of Internally Displaced Persons																																																																											g. Stateless Persons																																																																																	Section 3. Freedom to Participate in the Political Process																																																									Elections and Political Participation																																																																																	Section 4. Corruption in Government																															Section 5. Governmental Posture Towards International and Nongovernmental Monitoring and Investigation of Alleged Abuses of Human Rights																															Section 6. Discrimination and Societal Abuses																																																									Women																																																																											Systemic Racial or Ethnic Violence and Discrimination																																																																											Children																																																																											Antisemitism																																																																											Trafficking in Persons																																																																											Acts of Violence, Criminalization, and Other Abuses Based on Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity or Expression, or Sex Characteristics																																																																											Persons with Disabilities																																																																																	Section 7. Worker Rights																																																									a. Freedom of Association and the Right to Collective Bargaining																																																																											b. Prohibition of Forced or Compulsory Labor																																																																											c. Prohibition of Child Labor and Minimum Age for Employment																																																																											d. Discrimination (see section 6)																																																																											e. Acceptable Conditions of Work																																																																																																							EXECUTIVE SUMMARY				There were no significant changes in the human rights situation in Latvia during the year.There were no credible reports of significant human rights abuses.The government took credible steps to identify and punish officials who may have committed human rights abuses.																														Section 1.													 Respect for the Integrity of the Person												    																																																a. Arbitrary Deprivation of Life and Other Unlawful or Politically Motivated Killings										There were no reports the government or its agents committed arbitrary or unlawful killings, including extrajudicial killings.																																				b. Disappearance										There were no reports of disappearances by or on behalf of government authorities.																																				c. Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman, or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, and Other Related Abuses										The law prohibited such practices, and there were no credible reports government officials employed them.																Prison and Detention Center Conditions						The Council of Europe’s Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT) noted in 2022 that prisoner-on-prisoner violence and the formation of informal prisoner hierarchies were problems.  Prisoners complained of poor sanitation, insufficient ventilation, lack of natural light, and nutrition.Abusive Physical Conditions:  The Daugavpils Detention Center, operated by the State Border Guards, held at any given time dozens of asylum seekers and third-country, irregular migrants who unlawfully entered the country from Belarus throughout the year.  Families, including children, were housed in a separate ward within the detention center.  Movements within the detention center were limited.  The State Border Guards processed requests for health services, legal counsel, and other needs, as well as complaints.Administration:  There were no significant reports regarding prison or detention center conditions that raised human rights concerns.  Prison authorities generally investigated credible allegations of mistreatment and documented the results of their investigations in a publicly accessible manner.Independent Monitoring:  The government permitted monitoring by national and international human rights monitors, including the CPT, the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the ombudsperson, and an independent nongovernmental organization (NGO) observer.Improvements:  In August, authorities opened a new asylum seekers’ accommodation center in Liepna to reduce crowds at the Daugavpils Detention Center.																										d. Arbitrary Arrest or Detention										The constitution and law prohibited arbitrary arrest and detention and allowed any individual to challenge the lawfulness of their arrest or detention in court.  The government generally observed these requirements.																Arrest Procedures and Treatment of Detainees						In most cases officials required a warrant issued by an authorized judicial official to make an arrest.  Exceptions were specifically defined by law and included persons caught by police in the act of committing a crime, suspects identified by eyewitnesses, and suspects who posed a flight risk.  The law required prosecutors to charge detainees and bring them before a judge within 48 hours.  Through June, the ombudsperson did not receive any complaints concerning detention without timely charges.Officials generally informed detainees promptly of charges against them.  Some detainees complained that authorities failed to provide verbal information regarding their rights immediately upon arrest.  Instead, they received information sheets explaining their rights and duties.  While a bail system existed, judges used it infrequently and usually in cases involving economic crimes.Detainees had the right to an attorney who could be present during questioning.  According to the CPT’s 2022 report, several detainees claimed they had been informally questioned by police without the presence of a lawyer, prior to the intake of a formal statement in a lawyer’s presence.  The government generally provided attorneys for indigent defendants.Third-country, irregular migrants who unlawfully entered the country from Belarus received legal counsel only if they challenged their initial detention, or after their request for asylum was denied and they wished to appeal the decision.																										e. Denial of Fair Public Trial										The constitution and law provided for an independent judiciary, and the government generally respected judicial independence and impartiality.																Trial Procedures						The constitution and law provided for the right to a fair and public trial, and the judiciary generally enforced this right.Through June, the ombudsperson received two complaints concerning lengthy judicial proceedings.  Latvian courts were processing cases from 2009.  There was a lengthy waiting period from when a case was filed to the date it was tried in court.						Political Prisoners and Detainees						There were no reports of political prisoners or detainees.																										f. Transnational Repression										Not applicable.																																				g. Property Seizure and Restitution										The government had laws and mechanisms in place, and NGOs and advocacy groups reported the government made significant progress on resolving Holocaust-era claims, including for foreign citizens.Of the €40 million ($43.2 million) awarded to the Jewish community in 2022 in lieu of returning 265 communal properties nationalized under Soviet occupation, €4 million ($4.3 million) were allocated from the state budget during the year.  The funds were used to provide social and material assistance to Holocaust survivors and fund cemetery and building restoration projects (such as community centers, museums, and memorials).The Department of State’s Justice for Uncompensated Survivors Today (JUST) Act Report to Congress, released publicly in July 2020, can be found on the Department’s website:   https://www.state.gov/reports/just-act-report-to-congress/.																																				h. Arbitrary or Unlawful Interference with Privacy, Family, Home, or Correspondence										The constitution and the law prohibited such actions, and there were no reports the government failed to respect these prohibitions.																																					Section 2.													 Respect for Civil Liberties												    																																																a. Freedom of Expression, Including for Members of the Press and Other Media										The constitution and the law provided for freedom of expression, including for members of the press and other media, and the government generally respected this right.  An independent media, an effective judiciary, and a functioning democratic political system combined to promote freedom of expression, including for media members.Freedom of Expression:  Although the law generally provided for freedom of expression, it criminalized incitement to racial or ethnic hatred and the spreading of false information regarding the financial system.  The law forbade glorifying or denying genocide, crimes against humanity, or war crimes against the country perpetrated by the Soviet Union or Nazi Germany, and the use of symbols of totalitarian regimes in political settings.  Violation of these provisions could lead to a five-year prison sentence, community service, or a fine.  There were also restrictions on speech deemed a threat to national security.  The law criminalized nonviolent acts committed against the state or that challenged its “independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity, or authority.”  Through June, police initiated two criminal procedures for glorifying or denying genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes – both cases pertaining to the war in Ukraine.Through June, the State Security Service initiated five criminal cases against individuals for inciting national, ethnic, religious, or racial hatred.Censorship or Content Restrictions for Members of the Press and Other Media, Including Online Media:  Independent media were active and expressed a wide variety of views with few restrictions.  The law required that 65 percent of all television broadcast time in national and regional electronic media be in Latvian or be dubbed or subtitled.  Extensive Russian-language programming was also available in all national and local media.  Restrictions on speech that incited racial hatred, spread false information regarding the financial system, or glorified or denied genocide, crimes against humanity, or crimes against the country by the Soviet Union or Nazi Germany also applied to print and broadcast media, the publication of books, and online newspapers and journals.  In May, the National Electronic Mass Media Council (NEPLP) imposed a fine of €8,500 ($9,189) on the Tvnet portal for the manner in which interview subject Aleksejs Roslikovs, a member of parliament, used the word “deportation,” equating the possible expulsion of Russian citizens from Latvia to how Latvians were deported to Siberia in 1941 and 1949.  The Ministry of Culture, the Media Ethics Council, and the parliamentary Human Rights and Public Affairs Committee criticized the NEPLP’s decision.  The State Security Service also stated it did not believe the remarks constituted an offense.  Tvnet appealed the NEPLP’s decision.																Internet Freedom						There were no credible reports the government monitored private online communications without appropriate legal authority.  Internet speech was subject to the same restrictions as other forms of speech and media.In February, the NEPLP restricted access to websites linked to Russian propaganda until the sanctions imposed on Russia by the EU were lifted.  In 2022, the NEPLP blocked several websites that disseminated false and misleading content regarding Russia’s hostilities in Ukraine and justified war crimes committed by Russia.  The block applied to websites in Russia, Belarus, and within the EU, such as freebalt.com, antifashist.com, and Russia Today.																										b. Freedoms of Peaceful Assembly and Association										The constitution and law provided for the freedoms of peaceful assembly and association, and the government generally respected these rights.																Freedom of Peaceful Assembly						The constitution and the law provided for freedom of peaceful assembly.  The government generally respected this right, with some restrictions.  Organizers of demonstrations typically had to notify authorities 10 days in advance.  Authorities could approve demonstrations within 24 hours of an event if longer advance notice was “reasonably impossible.”  Officials could deny or modify permits to protect public safety or national security.						Freedom of Association						The constitution and the law provided for freedom of association, and the government generally respected this right.  The law prohibited the registration of communist, Nazi, or other organizations that contravened the constitution or advocated the violent overthrow of the government.																										c. Freedom of Religion										See the Department of State’s International Religious Freedom Report at  https://www.state.gov/religiousfreedomreport/.																																				d. Freedom of Movement and the Right to Leave the Country										The law provided for freedom of internal movement, foreign travel, emigration, and repatriation, and the government generally respected these rights.																																				e. Protection of Refugees										The government generally cooperated with UNHCR and other humanitarian organizations in providing protection and assistance to refugees, returning refugees, or asylum seekers.Access to Asylum:  The law provided for the granting of asylum or refugee status, and the government established a system for providing protection to refugees.  In June, the government amended the law on the State Border and State Border Guards to allow for the announcement of an “enhanced border regime” in response to increased irregular migration instigated and organized by Belarusian authorities.  Under the new law, during an “enhanced border regime,” applications for asylum were accepted only at official border crossing checkpoints, allowing the State Border Guard to refuse applications for asylum if requested outside of those points.  UNHCR expressed concern that the legal change effectively authorized “pushbacks” and could lead to individuals not being granted effective access to territory and the right to seek asylum, as required by international and European law.  UNHCR also noted concerns that the amendments to the law did not specify how assessments to refuse entry for asylum-seekers arriving irregularly should be conducted, and that the assessments would be undocumented.Durable Solutions:  The government provided a quarter of the funding for the International Organization for Migration’s (IOM) voluntary return program and administered most of the IOM’s remaining budget.  During the year, the IOM assisted in the voluntary return of 38 persons:  15 Indians, 12 Uzbeks, six Azerbaijanis, two Russians, and one person each from Tajikistan, Moldova, and the UK.  The program was terminated in July.The government assisted more than 3,000 Ukrainian citizens and other residents of Ukraine who fled Russia’s war.  More than 50,000 Ukrainians had registered in Latvia since February 2022.Temporary Protection:  The law allowed for the granting of temporary protection to individuals not found to qualify for refugee status but who were nonetheless determined to need international protection.  Through June, the government granted temporary protection status to 9,155 persons, mostly Ukrainian citizens, and granted alternate status to 21 persons.																																				f. Status and Treatment of Internally Displaced Persons										Not applicable.																																				g. Stateless Persons										As of July, the government reported 155 stateless persons in the country who had been granted stateless status in accordance with the 1954 UN Statelessness Convention.  Persons categorized by authorities as stateless could pursue citizenship through naturalization after obtaining a permanent residence permit and lawfully residing in the country for five years.																																					Section 3.													 Freedom to Participate in the Political Process												    																						The constitution and law provided citizens the ability to choose their government in free and fair periodic elections held by secret ballot and based on universal and equal suffrage.																										Elections and Political Participation										Abuses or Irregularities in Recent Elections:  According to international election observers, including the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe’s Office of Democratic Initiatives and Human Rights, national elections were widely reported to be fair and free of abuses and irregularities.  NGOs reported lack of adequate infrastructure that would allow persons with disabilities to access polling stations independently.Political Parties and Political Participation:  Citizens could organize political parties with minimal restriction.  The law prohibited the country’s noncitizen residents from organizing political parties without the participation of at least an equal number of citizens.  Individuals who remained active in the Communist Party or other pro-Soviet organizations after 1991 or who worked for such institutions as the Soviet KGB were prohibited from holding public office.Participation of Women and Members of Marginalized or Vulnerable Groups:  Approximately 10 percent of the population were noncitizen residents – most of them ethnic Russians – who could not participate in elections and choose their representation.																																					Section 4.													 Corruption in Government												    																						The law provided criminal penalties for corruption by officials, and the government generally implemented the law effectively.  Officials sometimes engaged in corrupt practices, and polling data consistently showed the majority of the public believed corruption was widespread, officials were rarely held accountable, investigation and prosecution of corruption cases were slow, and penalties were mild.Corruption:  Corruption was a problem.  Investigation of corruption cases improved, but prosecutions were slow, and penalties were mild and usually limited to fines.  NGOs stated concerns regarding the quality of investigations and the efficiency of the Corruption Prevention and Combating Bureau’s (KNAB) leadership.  A lack of appropriate judicial training, quality of law education, lack of interagency communication, poor work organization, and lengthy written procedures were the main problems in the judicial sector.  Public procurements entailed the largest corruption risks.Through June, the KNAB initiated 16 criminal proceedings on bribery, abuse of office, fraud, exceeding the powers of office, and disclosure of classified information.																											Section 5.													 Governmental Posture Towards International and Nongovernmental Monitoring and Investigation of Alleged Abuses of Human Rights												    																						A number of domestic and international human rights groups generally operated without government restriction to monitor or investigate human rights conditions or cases and publish their findings.  Government officials were often cooperative and responsive to the views of these groups.Government Human Rights Bodies:  The Office of the Ombudsperson was responsible for monitoring the government’s performance on human rights.  The ombudsperson reported good cooperation with the agencies he monitored and said his office operated without direct government or political interference.  In its most recent report in 2019, the Council of Europe’s European Commission against Racism and Intolerance observed that the ombudsperson’s mandate did not include providing independent assistance to victims of racism.  The Office of the Ombudsperson could not enforce its recommendations or levy fines, although it could apply to the Constitutional Court to initiate proceedings against a public institution that failed to address a source of discrimination.  The ombudsperson could also file a complaint in an administrative court if it was in the public interest or bring a case to the civil courts if the problem concerned a violation of equal treatment.  As required by law, the Office of the Ombudsperson published an annual report describing its activities and making recommendations to the government.A standing parliamentary committee on human rights and public affairs met weekly when parliament was in session.  It considered initiatives related to human rights.																											Section 6.													 Discrimination and Societal Abuses												    																																																Women										Rape and Domestic Violence:  The law specifically criminalized rape of a person, regardless of gender.  Spousal rape was explicitly considered rape with “aggravated circumstances.”  Criminal penalties for rape ranged from four years to life imprisonment.  The government effectively enforced the law.When police received a report of rape, they were required to open an investigation.  Because the Ministry of Justice did not distinguish between spousal rape and non-spousal rape cases involving aggravated circumstances, there were no reports available on whether any spousal rape case was prosecuted.  NGOs stressed that rape cases were underreported.The law provided a broad definition of violence that included physical, sexual, psychological, and economic violence.  Domestic and intimate partner violence was criminalized and considered an aggravating factor in certain criminal offenses.  There were penalties for causing “minor” bodily harm when the survivor and perpetrator were spouses, former spouses, or civil partners.  Penalties ranged from fines to imprisonment.The law allowed police to investigate domestic violence without a survivor’s prior approval and criminalized stalking.  The law allowed survivors of domestic violence to request that police officers issue an order for the eviction of the perpetrator for eight days.  Upon receiving such a request, police had to react immediately.  Only courts could issue restraining orders and were required to respond to such requests within one business day.  Once a restraining order was issued, it remained in force until a court revoked it.Domestic violence was a serious problem.  Through June, police initiated 155 criminal proceedings for domestic violence and detained 47 persons.  In the same period, police issued 395 restraining orders.  In a high-profile case, a man killed his former wife on April 16 with an axe in Jekabpils in front of her mother and daughter after she had filed for a restraining order and requested additional police protection.  The case provoked an intense public reaction.  Both police and the prosecutor’s office investigated the case and issued calls for a more thorough response by authorities in domestic violence cases.  In May, the Cabinet of Ministers tasked the Crime Prevention Council with drafting a plan to combat violence against women and domestic violence for the period 2024-2029.Parliament ratified the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence Against Women and Domestic Violence (Istanbul Convention) on November 30.Police were required to use standardized protocols to report and investigate gender-based violence, including domestic violence.  Responding police officers were required to complete and send an evaluation to the social service of the relevant local government within one working day.  In most cases doctors could not report domestic violence to police without the consent of adult victims.As of July 1, the government provided for a crisis apartment as a rehabilitation service for survivors of violence.  The crisis apartment service was intended for rehabilitation of victims for up to 30 days, but the stay could be extended up to 180 days.  The government provided state funding to shelters.  There was one government-funded survivor support hotline and several NGO-managed crisis hotlines.  The government hotline referred survivors to an appropriate NGO for further support.Discrimination:  The law provided for the same legal status and rights for women as for men.  The government enforced its antidiscrimination laws effectively.There were instances of hiring and pay discrimination against women, particularly in the private sector, but they were underreported to the ombudsperson.  In the most recent data from 2022, the average gross hourly earnings of women in the country were 17.1 percent lower than those of men.Reproductive Rights:  There were no reports of coerced abortion or involuntary sterilization on the part of government authorities.The government provided access to sexual and reproductive health services for survivors of sexual violence.  Emergency contraception and postexposure prophylaxis were available as part of clinical management of rape.																																				Systemic Racial or Ethnic Violence and Discrimination										The law provided for equal treatment and protection of members of racial and ethnic minority groups against violence, discrimination, and hatred.  The government enforced its antiviolence laws effectively.NGOs representing minority groups stated that discrimination and harassment of members of national minority groups, including what they considered hate speech, were underreported to authorities.Roma faced widespread societal discrimination, high levels of unemployment, and illiteracy.  The government continued integration and awareness programs in support of Roma, although some community members expressed concern that the support was inconsistent.																																				Children										Child Abuse:  Violence against children was a problem.  The law provided for protection of children against violence, exploitation, sexual abuse, involvement in commercial sexual exploitation, and serious threats to their life, health, or development, such as hazardous conditions.  Violation of the law was punishable by imprisonment, community service, or a fine and supervised probation for a period of up to three years.  The law empowered custody courts to remove vulnerable and abused children from violent homes if parents or guardians could not do so or were themselves perpetrators of the violence.  Police effectively enforced laws against child abuse.Child, Early, and Forced Marriage:  The legal minimum age for marriage was 18.  Persons younger than 18 could legally marry only with parental permission and as long as one party was at least 16 and the other at least 18.  The government effectively enforced the law.Sexual Exploitation of Children:  The law prohibited the commercial sexual exploitation of children, the sale of children, offering or procuring a child for commercial sex, and practices related to child pornography.  Authorities generally enforced the law.  The purchase, display, reproduction, or distribution of child pornography was punishable by up to three years in prison.  Involving a child in the production of pornography was punishable by up to 12 years in prison, depending on the age of the child.  The minimum age for consensual sex was 16.																																				Antisemitism										Government sources estimated there were approximately 7,000 Jewish residents in the country.  There were no reports of antisemitic attacks against individuals, although on the internet there were public references to stereotypes by some fringe groups.  In April the government allocated €170,000 ($183,770) for a program designed to combat racism and antisemitism through education and integration efforts.  The government provided financial support to Jewish history, religious, and cultural institutions.The annual commemoration of Latvian Legionnaires who fought in German Waffen SS units against the Soviet army in World War II was held in Riga in March.  As in recent years, the event was sparsely attended, with an estimated 350 participants, including four parliamentarians from National Alliance.  Separately, some government officials attended a memorial event at the regimental cemetery in Lestene, as they have in previous years.On July 4, President Egils Levits, Speaker of Parliament Edvards Smiltens, several members of parliament, Jewish community representatives, government officials, and foreign diplomats attended the Holocaust commemoration ceremony in Riga.  The ceremony was open to the public.																																				Trafficking in Persons										See the Department of State’s Trafficking in Persons Report at  https://www.state.gov/trafficking-in-persons-report/.																																				Acts of Violence, Criminalization, and Other Abuses Based on Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity or Expression, or Sex Characteristics										Criminalization:  No laws criminalized consensual same-sex sexual conduct between adults, cross-dressing, or other sexual or gender characteristic-related behavior.  There were no reports seemingly neutral laws were disproportionately applied to target lesbian, gay, bisexual, transexual, queer, or intersex (LGBTQI+) persons.Violence and Harassment:  There were no reports that state or nonstate actors perpetrated, condoned, or tolerated violence or harassment against LGBTQI+ individuals or those reporting such abuse.  NGOs stated that instances of violence and other abuses based on sexual orientation or gender identity tended to be underreported.In Daugavpils, an LGBTQI+ person got into a fight with another person.  The LGBTQI+ person said he was attacked over his sexuality.  After the local prosecutor closed the case for a lack of evidence, the prosecutor of the district reopened it for further examination.  The case was pending at year’s end.Discrimination:  The law prohibited discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity.  Authorities generally enforced the law.  The government did not collect data regarding sexual orientation and gender identity and thus could not accurately assess the magnitude of the problem or need for specialized services.NGOs reported an improved relationship with the Ministry of Justice and with police, reflected by increased responsiveness by police to complaints filed by LGBTQI+ persons.  Through June, a total of 39 same-sex couples had been recognized by courts as a legal family unit in the country, including 11 during the year.  Another 24 same-sex couples were waiting for their cases to be heard in court.  On November 9, the parliament passed a package of amendments introducing social and financial benefits and creating a new legal institution of partnership for same-sex couples.  The partnerships law had not entered into force at year end.There were no reports of discrimination in health, housing, education, or employment.Availability of Legal Gender Recognition:  The law provided a process for legal gender recognition, but not through self-identification.  Through June, 14 persons had legally changed their gender.  The law required transgender persons to provide a medical opinion from a panel of doctors attesting to their stated gender for authorities to change their gender identity markers.Involuntary or Coercive Medical or Psychological Practices:  There was no law banning so-called conversion therapy practices, but there were no publicly documented cases of forced or involuntary so-called conversion therapy practices to try to change the sexual orientation or gender identity or expression of adults or children.There were no reports surgeries were performed on children or nonconsenting adult intersex persons.Restrictions of Freedom of Expression, Association, or Peaceful Assembly:  The government generally allowed for the expression, association, and peaceful assembly of LGBTQI+ persons and other individuals speaking out on LGBTQI+ issues.More than 7,000 persons attended Riga Pride in June, setting a record for the event.  Five protesters were present, and police reported one protester who was detained but no other incidents.  Local media provided factual, mostly neutral, or positive coverage.																																				Persons with Disabilities										The constitution and law prohibited discrimination against persons with disabilities and mandated their access to education, employment, health services, public buildings, and transportation on an equal basis with others.  The government generally did not enforce these provisions.The law mandated access to public buildings for persons with disabilities.  Nevertheless, NGOs stated that less than 8 percent of public buildings were accessible to persons with disabilities.  Adherence to accessibility regulations was haphazard; ramps existed but were often too steep, and bathrooms for persons with disabilities were often on the second floor of buildings with no elevators.  In July, after 11 years of litigation, the Association of People with Disabilities and Their Friends obtained a favorable verdict in its lawsuit against the Riga City Council regarding compliance with environmental accessibility requirements in the building owned by the Art Academy of Latvia.  The EU had provided funding for the building with the stipulation that the facility had to be made accessible to persons with disabilities.  There was no requirement to make private buildings accessible to persons with disabilities.While health and labor services were provided as stipulated by law, NGOs stated that most persons with disabilities had limited access to work and health care due to a lack of personal assistants, the lack of specialized job education and training programs, the weak performance of the State Employment Agency, and a lack of government support for businesses employing persons with disabilities.  Persons with intellectual disabilities had the least opportunities for employment.  According to a 2022 study by the Parliamentary Analytical Office reduced to “a meaningless existence.”The accessibility of health services was limited in regions due to inaccessible infrastructure.  According to the State Health Inspectorate, only 4 percent of dental offices were accessible to persons with disabilities, and in the region of Kurzeme, which constituted one third of the territory of the country, there was only one dental office accessible to persons with disabilities.Access to housing and mortgage loans was scant.Schools were generally able to accommodate the needs of children with physical disabilities.  NGOs cited a lack of psychological support for students with mental disabilities.  Several schools dedicated only to students with disabilities still existed, although children were increasingly integrated into the regular educational system.Access to some polling stations and information regarding election candidates and processes was a problem for persons with disabilities.  The government did not take action to address the problem, limiting the rights of persons with disabilities to participate in civic life.Institutionalized Children:  Through June, 540 children were in state-run orphanages, 97 percent of whom were older than four.  Through June, there were six reports of abuse in institutions, two of which were confirmed by the National Inspectorate for the Protection of Children’s Rights.																																					Section 7.													 Worker Rights												    																																																a. Freedom of Association and the Right to Collective Bargaining										The law provided for workers to form and join independent unions, bargain collectively, and conduct legal strikes.  The law prohibited antiunion discrimination and employer interference in union functions, and provided reinstatement for unlawful dismissal, including dismissal for union activity.  Unions could not have fewer than 15 members or less than 25 percent of the total number of employees in the company (which could not be fewer than five).There were several limitations on these rights.  Uniformed members of the military and members of the State Security Services could not form or join unions.  According to the International Trade Union Confederation, collective bargaining in the public administration was a formal procedure with no real substance since all employment conditions were fixed by law.While the law provided for the right to strike, it required a strike vote by a simple majority at a meeting attended by more than half of the union’s members.  It prohibited strikes in sectors related to public safety and by personnel classified as essential, including judges, prosecutors, police, firefighters, border guards, employees of state security institutions, prison guards, and military personnel.  The law prohibited “solidarity” strikes by workers who were not directly involved in a specific labor agreement between strikers and their employers, a restriction criticized by local labor groups.  It also banned “political” strikes.  The law provided arbitration mechanisms for essential personnel not permitted to strike.The government effectively enforced laws protecting freedom of association, collective bargaining, and the right to strike for workers.  EU labor regulations also applied.  Resources, inspections, and remediation were adequate under the law.  Penalties for violations of freedom of association, collective bargaining, and the right to strike were commensurate with or less than those for analogous violations such as civil rights violations.  Penalties were regularly applied against violators.  Penalties ranged from a few hundred to several thousand euros but were insufficient to deter violations.  Administrative and judicial procedures were subject to lengthy delays and appeals.  Labor rights organizations expressed concern regarding employer discrimination against union members.Freedom of association and the right to collective bargaining were generally respected.  The law on trade unions required trade unions to be independent.  Anti-corruption officials and press reports stated, however, that external funding and support called into question the independence of some individuals and groups active in unions.																																				b. Prohibition of Forced or Compulsory Labor										See the Department of State’s annual Trafficking in Persons Report at  https://www.state.gov/trafficking-in-persons-report/.																																				c. Prohibition of Child Labor and Minimum Age for Employment										The statutory minimum age for employment was 15.  Children ages 13 or older could work in certain jobs outside of school hours with written permission from a parent.  The law prohibited children younger than 18 from performing nighttime or overtime work.  The law provided that children could not work in jobs that posed a risk to their physical safety, health, or development.  The government effectively enforced child labor and minimum age laws.  Penalties were commensurate with those for other analogous serious crimes and were regularly applied against violators.There were no reports of labor abuses involving children or unregistered employment of youth.  There were no confirmed reports of the worst forms of child labor.  The law prohibited all the worst forms of child labor.																																				d. Discrimination (see section 6)																																														e. Acceptable Conditions of Work										Wage and Hour Laws:  The law set a monthly minimum wage that was above the official poverty line.  The law provided for a regular workweek of 40 hours.  The maximum permitted overtime work calculated over a four-month reference period could not exceed eight hours on average within a seven-day period.  The law required a minimum of 100 percent premium pay in compensation for overtime, unless the parties agreed to other forms of compensation in a contract; however, this requirement was rarely enforced.  Workers in low-skilled manufacturing and retail jobs as well as some public-sector employees, such as firefighters and police, were reportedly most vulnerable to poor working conditions, including long work hours, lack of overtime pay, and arbitrary remuneration.Occupational Safety and Health:  The law established appropriate minimum occupational safety and health (OSH) standards for the workplace for the main industries in the country.  The government proactively identified unsafe conditions and responded to workers&#8217; OSH complaints.  While the law allowed workers to remove themselves from situations that endangered health or safety without jeopardizing their employment, these regulations were not always followed.  Workers were able to complain to the State Labor Inspectorate when they believed their rights were violated, most notably the industrial sector, transportation, construction, wood processing, and lumber industries.Wage, Hour, and OSH Enforcement:  The government effectively enforced minimum wage, overtime, and OSH laws.  Penalties were commensurate with those for other analogous crimes and sufficient to deter violations.  Penalties for violations were fines that varied widely, depending on the severity and frequency of the violation.  Penalties were regularly applied against violators.  The State Labor Inspectorate was responsible for enforcing minimum wage regulations, restrictions on hours of work, and OSH standards.  The number of labor inspectors was sufficient to enforce compliance, and the inspectorate had the authority to make unannounced inspections and initiate sanctions.OSH standards and labor laws were not always enforced in the informal economy, which equaled approximately 27 percent of the total economy.Workplace injuries and fatalities were primarily in the transportation, construction, wood processing, and lumber industries.  Real wage estimates were difficult to calculate in the sizeable informal economy, especially due to the increasing economic hardships as a result of the war in Ukraine.  According to an academic study done by the Stockholm School of Economics, untaxed salaries accounted for 27 percent of the GDP in 2022.																																				    							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Respect for the Integrity of the Person																																							a. Arbitrary Deprivation of Life and Other Unlawful or Politically Motivated Killings																																																						b. Disappearance																																																						c. Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman, or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, and Other Related Abuses																																																				Prison and Detention Center Conditions																																																																																				d. Arbitrary Arrest or Detention																																																				Arrest Procedures and Treatment of Detainees																																																																																				e. Denial of Fair Public Trial																																																				Trial Procedures																																												Political Prisoners and Detainees																																																																																				f. Transnational Repression																																																						g. Property Seizure and Restitution																																																						h. Arbitrary or Unlawful Interference with Privacy, Family, Home, or Correspondence																																																			Section 2. Respect for Civil Liberties																																							a. Freedom of Expression, Including for Members of the Press and Other Media																																																				Internet Freedom																																																																																				b. Freedoms of Peaceful Assembly and Association																																																				Freedom of Peaceful Assembly																																												Freedom of Association																																																																																				c. Freedom of Religion																																																						d. Freedom of Movement and the Right to Leave the Country																																																						e. Protection of Refugees																																																						f. Status and Treatment of Internally Displaced Persons																																																						g. Stateless Persons																																																			Section 3. Freedom to Participate in the Political Process																																							Elections and Political Participation																																																			Section 4. Corruption in Government																Section 5. Governmental Posture Towards International and Nongovernmental Monitoring and Investigation of Alleged Abuses of Human Rights																Section 6. Discrimination and Societal Abuses																																							Women																																																						Systemic Racial or Ethnic Violence and Discrimination																																																						Children																																																						Antisemitism																																																						Trafficking in Persons																																																						Acts of Violence, Criminalization, and Other Abuses Based on Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity or Expression, or Sex Characteristics																																																						Persons with Disabilities																																																			Section 7. Worker Rights																																							a. Freedom of Association and the Right to Collective Bargaining																																																						b. Prohibition of Forced or Compulsory Labor																																																						c. Prohibition of Child Labor and Minimum Age for Employment																																																						d. Discrimination (see section 6)																																																						e. Acceptable Conditions of Work																																																									Tags																					Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor																								Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs																								Latvia
- Assistant Secretary Pyatt’s Travel to Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania; Leads U.S. Delegation to the 2024 Three Seas Initiative Office of the SpokespersonBureau of Energy Resources Assistant Secretary Geoffrey R. Pyatt will travel April 8-12 to Tallinn, Estonia; Riga, Latvia; and Vilnius, Lithuania.  He will engage with senior interlocutors on regional energy security issues, including the Baltic states&#8217; swift progress de-coupling from Russian energy; continued support for Ukraine&#8217;s energy sector under the G7+ partnership in the face of brutal Russian attacks; cooperation to curb the energy revenues Russia uses to fund its war against Ukraine; and efforts to advance the energy transition and secure clean energy and critical mineral supply chains.On April 9, Assistant Secretary Pyatt will hold meetings in Tallinn, Estonia, with government counterparts and welcome Estonia’s new role in the Minerals Security Partnership.  He will meet with the Estonian Hydrogen Cluster, comprised of public and private industry working to advance the energy transition through development of the first nationwide &#8220;Hydrogen Valley,&#8221; to complete a hydrogen value chain in Estonia.Assistant Secretary Pyatt will then travel to Riga, Latvia to meet with President Rinkevics&#8217;s Advisors and other senior government officials.  He will also discuss energy security progress with senior management of Latvenergo, Conexus Baltic Grid, and AST, Latvia&#8217;s energy infrastructure companies.Finally, Assistant Secretary Pyatt will lead the U.S. delegation to the 2024 Three Seas Initiative (3SI) Summit and Business Forum, April 11 in Vilnius, Lithuania.  He will reinforce the importance of continued support to Ukraine’s energy infrastructure in the face of targeted Russian attacks.  Alongside key regional counterparts, he will discuss the critical role of the 3SI region in helping Europe diversify its energy routes and sources and develop future clean energy supply chains.  He will also highlight opportunities for 3SI countries to build further energy and infrastructure links with new partner-participants Ukraine and Moldova, as well as the Western Balkans.3SI aims to promote cooperation for the development of infrastructure in the energy, transport, and digital sectors.  It targets new investments, economic growth, and energy security, bringing together 13 countries located between the Baltic, Black, and Adriatic seas – Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Greece, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, and Slovenia, with Ukraine and Moldova as formal partners.For further media information, please contact ENR-PD-Clearances@state.gov.
- NATO Accession Anniversaries for Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, and Slovakia, Slovenia Antony J. Blinken, Secretary of StateOn behalf of the United States, I congratulate Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Slovakia, and Slovenia on the 20th anniversary of your accession to NATO.Twenty years ago, as you became Allies, we were inspired by your journeys – from enduring bitter tyranny and occupation to earning your freedom through courage and perseverance. Today, we mark your steadfast commitment to defend every inch of NATO territory and to uphold our shared democratic values.From the Baltic Sea to the Black Sea, across the Atlantic and the Adriatic, NATO is more united and capable than ever. On this important anniversary, we are proud to stand side-by-side with you as Allies defending our vision of the future.
- Secretary Blinken’s Meeting with Estonian Foreign Minister Tsahkna, Latvian Foreign Minister Karins, and Lithuanian Foreign Minister Landsbergis HomeOffice of the SpokespersonPress Releases&#8230;Secretary Blinken’s Meeting with Estonian Foreign Minister Tsahkna, Latvian Foreign Minister Karins, and Lithuanian Foreign Minister Landsbergis				hide		if(window.jQuery) {		jQuery( document ).ready(function() {			if (jQuery(".bc_middle").hasClass("collapse")) {				jQuery(".bc_ellipse").click(function(){					jQuery(".bc_hide").toggleClass("visible");					jQuery(".bc_middle").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_ellipse").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_content").toggleClass("noflex");					jQuery(".block_breadcrumbs_content").toggleClass("noflex");				});				jQuery(".bc_hide").click(function(){					jQuery(".bc_hide").toggleClass("visible");					jQuery(".bc_middle").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_ellipse").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_content").toggleClass("noflex");					jQuery(".block_breadcrumbs_content").toggleClass("noflex");				});			} else {				jQuery(".bc_ellipse").hide();			}		});	}																										Secretary Blinken’s Meeting with Estonian Foreign Minister Tsahkna, Latvian Foreign Minister Karins, and Lithuanian Foreign Minister Landsbergis																																		Readout																														March 25, 2024																																							The below is attributable to Spokesperson Matthew Miller:Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken met with Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna, Latvian Foreign Minister Krisjanis Karins, and Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis today in Washington, D.C.&nbsp; Secretary Blinken and the Baltic foreign ministers affirmed the strength of the NATO Alliance and its role in ensuring security and prosperity in Europe, noting in particular the importance of securing NATO’s eastern flank.&nbsp; The Secretary also congratulated the three foreign ministers on their upcoming 20th anniversary in the Alliance. &nbsp;The Secretary and the foreign ministers underlined that the United States, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania stand united in support of Ukraine as it defends itself against Russia’s aggression and are committed to holding Russia accountable.						Tags																					Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs																																														Economic Prosperity and Trade Policy																															Estonia																								Latvia																								Lithuania																																North Atlantic Treaty Organization																															Office of the Spokesperson																								The Secretary of State
- Secretary Antony J. Blinken and Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna, Latvian Foreign Minister KrišjāNis Kariņš, and Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis before Their Meeting HomeOffice of the SpokespersonPress Releases&#8230;Secretary Antony J. Blinken and Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna, Latvian Foreign Minister KrišjāNis Kariņš, and Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis before Their Meeting				hide		if(window.jQuery) {		jQuery( document ).ready(function() {			if (jQuery(".bc_middle").hasClass("collapse")) {				jQuery(".bc_ellipse").click(function(){					jQuery(".bc_hide").toggleClass("visible");					jQuery(".bc_middle").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_ellipse").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_content").toggleClass("noflex");					jQuery(".block_breadcrumbs_content").toggleClass("noflex");				});				jQuery(".bc_hide").click(function(){					jQuery(".bc_hide").toggleClass("visible");					jQuery(".bc_middle").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_ellipse").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_content").toggleClass("noflex");					jQuery(".block_breadcrumbs_content").toggleClass("noflex");				});			} else {				jQuery(".bc_ellipse").hide();			}		});	}																										Secretary Antony J. Blinken and Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna, Latvian Foreign Minister KrišjāNis Kariņš, and Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis before Their Meeting																																		Remarks																														March 25, 2024																																							SECRETARY BLINKEN:&nbsp;&nbsp;Well, good morning, everyone.&nbsp; It is a great pleasure to welcome my colleagues from Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia here today – our close Baltic allies, our close Baltic partners.&nbsp;It’s very fitting that we come together today in a number of ways.&nbsp; We’ll be celebrating the 20th anniversary of their accession to NATO, something we very much look forward to, as we also have the 75th anniversary celebration of NATO itself coming up in Washington in just a few months’ time.&nbsp;But as important, these three allies have been leaders in NATO, contributing significantly to their defense budgets, leading the way in NATO, and also leading the way in support for Ukraine at a time when that support is absolutely vital.&nbsp; And I think it’s a recognition on the part of all three countries, as well as the United States, of what the stakes are when it comes to our support for Ukraine – stakes that go beyond even Ukraine itself and to the basic principle that people around the world and countries around the world deserve to chart their own futures, not have some other power try to do it for them.&nbsp;So it’s with gratitude that we have our partners here.&nbsp; We have a lot of work to do together, both in terms of sustaining support for Ukraine but also in continuing to plan out the future of the Alliance that joins us together – an Alliance that is now stronger and bigger than it was, and one that has a future over its next 75 years that will be as important as its first 75.&nbsp;So with that, let me turn it first, I think, to Gabrielius to get us started.&nbsp; My friend.&nbsp;FOREIGN MINISTER LANDSBERGIS:&nbsp;&nbsp;Thank you so much.&nbsp; It’s a great pleasure to be here and really to – and to use this – the opportunity to thank United States for decades of cooperation and decades of making Baltic states and Lithuania more safer and more secure.&nbsp;Today is also a date where we commemorate 75 years of sad history, because 75 years ago that Soviet Union started their mass deportations from the Baltic states, where tens of thousands – even hundreds of thousands – of our compatriots were deported to the wilderness of Siberia and had to spend their lives there.&nbsp; Many of them would not be able to return to their home countries.&nbsp;And this memory serves us and makes us better understand what we value today: the security, the safety, the prosperity that we managed to get through the decades, and also looking to the future so that it does not happen again – not in our countries, not in other countries that are fighting for their security and their freedom today, such as Ukraine, and Moldova looking for accession to EU, and Georgia that has been attacked in 2008.Thank you, Secretary.&nbsp;SECRETARY BLINKEN:&nbsp;&nbsp;Thank you.&nbsp; Margus.&nbsp;FOREIGN MINISTER TSAHKNA:&nbsp;&nbsp;Thank you.&nbsp; Thank you for receiving us.&nbsp; And as you mentioned as well, this week we are celebrating the 20 years of full membership of NATO.&nbsp; And I can say, I think very honestly, that probably without that membership we couldn’t stand here as three foreign minister of three independent countries, because Russia is not following the understanding of international law and rules.&nbsp; So we are very happy about this transatlantic relations, what we have, and our meeting will focus on that as well.&nbsp;But as our good friend Gabrielius said, today is a sad day.&nbsp; Thirty-five years ago, 100,000 of our people were deported, and exactly the same thing is going on in Ukraine at the moment when we are meeting.&nbsp; So it is very crucial that we will support Ukraine during the war, so that what we are doing all together.&nbsp; So thank you for listening.SECRETARY BLINKEN:&nbsp;&nbsp;Krišjānis.FOREIGN MINISTER KARIŅŠ:&nbsp;&nbsp;Thank you very much, Tony.&nbsp; It’s a great pleasure to be here.&nbsp; The United States, Latvia, and the Baltic countries, we’re separated by very many kilometers.&nbsp; But we are deeply united in our basic values: freedom, democracy, the rule of law.&nbsp; And we see that our basic values that our societies share are being directly challenged around the world.&nbsp;Notably in our region, it’s Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine.&nbsp; We’re going into the third year.&nbsp; And it’s up to us, with our combined efforts, with NATO’s combined efforts, to stand up against that and to not only say “this is bad,” but to make sure that that evil does not have a chance to spread.&nbsp; Deterrence, long term – a long-term strategy also with dealing with an aggressive Russia, this is what we have to strive towards.&nbsp; And it’s only by democracies and likeminded nations and societies working together that we can make the world a safer place.&nbsp;SECRETARY BLINKEN:&nbsp;&nbsp;Thank you.&nbsp; Thanks, everyone.&nbsp;						Tags																					Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs																								Estonia																								Latvia																								Lithuania																																North Atlantic Treaty Organization																															Office of the Spokesperson																								The Secretary of State
- The United States of America and the Republic of Latvia sign Memorandum of Understanding to Expand Collaboration on Countering Foreign State Information Manipulation Office of the SpokespersonOn March 14, Special Envoy and Coordinator for the Global Engagement Center James P. Rubin and Ambassador of the Republic of Latvia to the United States Maris Selga, accompanied by Prime Minister of Latvia Evika Siliņa and U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell, signed a Memorandum of Understanding to strengthen cooperation between the United States and the Republic of Latvia on countering foreign state information manipulation.The signing of this memorandum signifies the seriousness with which both countries approach the threat of foreign information manipulation, which includes disinformation and propaganda. The United States and the Republic of Latvia will expand information sharing about this threat, share best practices for countering foreign disinformation, and align policies along the five key action areas established in the U.S. State Department’s Framework to Counter Foreign State Information Manipulation.Foreign information manipulation is a transnational security threat that can create or exploit divisions within and among countries, imperil election integrity, and undermine public trust in government. Only in concert with like-minded partners and allies can free, democratic societies push back against this threat. This Memorandum of Understanding with the Republic of Latvia is another positive step towards expanding the coalition of countries working together to protect a free, fact-based information environment.
- Deputy Secretary Campbell’s Meeting with Latvian Prime Minister Silina Office of the SpokespersonThe below is attributable to Spokesperson Matthew Miller:Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell met today with Latvian Prime Minister Evika Silina in Washington.  Deputy Secretary Campbell expressed appreciation for Latvia’s contributions to the NATO Alliance over the last 20 years and discussed preparations for the July NATO Summit in Washington. The Deputy Secretary thanked the Prime Minister for Latvia’s steadfast support for Ukraine and commitment to our shared democratic values. Deputy Secretary Campbell and Prime Minister Silina agreed on the importance of engaging Indo-Pacific partners.
- Latvia National Day Antony J. Blinken, Secretary of StateOn behalf of the United States of America, I wish to congratulate the people of Latvia as you celebrate the 105th anniversary of your independence.The strong, vital partnership between Latvia and the United States is rooted in a shared commitment to democracy, human rights, the rule of law, and mutual respect. Together we are committed to maintaining steadfast support for Ukraine and holding Russia accountable for its unprovoked war. As NATO Allies, Latvia and the United States continue to strengthen our collective defense, resilience, and capacity to assure peace and prosperity for our citizens. We appreciate Latvia’s aid to Ukraine and welcome the generosity you have shown to refugees.The United States is profoundly grateful to Latvia for its partnership, and leadership in promoting security and democracy. We are proud of our friendship with Latvia that has endured for over 100 years and look forward to many, many more years as friends and allies. I wish the Latvian people a joyous Independence Day and a successful year ahead.
- Special Envoy and Coordinator for the Global Engagement Center Rubin’s Travel to Moldova and Latvia Office of the SpokespersonThe Special Envoy and Coordinator for the Global Engagement Center James P. Rubin will travel from September 18 to September 21 to Chișinău, Moldova and Riga, Latvia.At each stop, Special Envoy Rubin will meet with host-nation government officials to solidify our partnership on counter disinformation initiatives. He will also meet with civil society representatives and independent media to discuss their role in countering foreign state information manipulation. He will discuss ongoing efforts by Russia to deploy disinformation to undermine democracy and national security, how actors like the PRC amplify Kremlin disinformation, and how our nations can collectively counter threats in the information space.
- Latvia HomeReportsBureau of Economic and Business Affairs2023 Investment Climate Statements&#8230;Latvia				hide	document.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded", function(event) {	if(window.jQuery) {		jQuery( document ).ready(function() {			if (jQuery(".bc_middle").hasClass("collapse")) {				jQuery(".bc_ellipse").click(function(){					jQuery(".bc_hide").toggleClass("visible");					jQuery(".bc_middle").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_ellipse").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_content").toggleClass("noflex");					jQuery(".block_breadcrumbs_content").toggleClass("noflex");				});				jQuery(".bc_hide").click(function(){					jQuery(".bc_hide").toggleClass("visible");					jQuery(".bc_middle").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_ellipse").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_content").toggleClass("noflex");					jQuery(".block_breadcrumbs_content").toggleClass("noflex");				});			} else {				jQuery(".bc_ellipse").hide();			}		});	}});																							2023 Investment Climate Statements: Latvia																																																																																												 In this section										/																							EXECUTIVE SUMMARY																																													EXECUTIVE SUMMARY																															1. Openness To, and Restrictions Upon, Foreign Investment																																																									Policies Towards Foreign Direct Investment																																																																											Limits on Foreign Control and Right to Private Ownership and Establishment																																																																											Other Investment Policy Reviews																																																																											Business Facilitation																																																																											Outward Investment																																																																																	2. Bilateral Investment and Taxation Treaties																															3. Legal Regime																																																									Transparency of the Regulatory System																																																																											International Regulatory Considerations																																																																											Legal System and Judicial Independence																																																																											Laws and Regulations on Foreign Direct Investment																																																																											Competition and Antitrust Laws																																																																											Expropriation and Compensation																																																																											Dispute Settlement																																																																			ICSID Convention and New York Convention																																																								Investor-State Dispute Settlement																																																								International Commercial Arbitration and Foreign Courts																																																																																																																		Bankruptcy Regulations																																																																																	4. Industrial Policies																																																									Investment Incentives																																																																											Foreign Trade Zones/Free Ports/Trade Facilitation																																																																											Performance and Data Localization Requirements																																																																																	5. Protection of Property Rights																																																									Real Property																																																																											Intellectual Property Rights																																																																																	6. Financial Sector																																																									Capital Markets and Portfolio Investment																																																																											Money and Banking System																																																																											Foreign Exchange and Remittances																																																																			Foreign Exchange																																																								Remittance Policies																																																																																																																		Sovereign Wealth Funds																																																																																	7. State-Owned Enterprises																																																									Privatization Program																																																																																	8. Responsible Business Conduct																																																									Additional Resources																																																																											Climate Issues																																																																																	9. Corruption																																																									Resources to Report Corruption																																																																																	10. Political and Security Environment																															11. Labor Policies and Practices																															12. U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC), and Other Investment Insurance or Development Finance Programs																															13. Foreign Direct Investment Statistics																															14. Contact for More Information																																																					EXECUTIVE SUMMARY				Located in the Baltic region of northeastern Europe, Latvia is a member of the EU, Eurozone, NATO, OECD, and the World Trade Organization (WTO). The Latvian government recognizes that, as a small country, it must attract foreign investment to foster economic growth, and thus has pursued liberal economic policies and developed infrastructure to position itself as a transportation and logistics hub. As a member of the European Union, Latvia applies EU laws and regulations, and, according to current legislation, foreign investors possess the same rights and obligations as local investors (with certain exceptions). Any foreign investor is entitled to establish and own a company in Latvia and apply for a temporary residence permit.Latvia is a transportation and logistics hub between West and East, providing strategic access to both the EU market and to Central Asia. Latvia’s three ice-free ports are connected to the country’s rail and road networks and to the largest international airport in the Baltic region (Riga International Airport). Latvia’s road network is connected to both European and Central Asian road networks; in the case of the latter, via the Russian Federation. Railroads connect Latvia with the other Baltic states, Russia, and Belarus, with further connections extending into Central Asia and China. Latvia&#8217;s workforce is highly educated and multilingual, and its culture promotes hard work and dependability. Labor costs in Latvia are the fourth-lowest in the EU. Latvia ranked second in the OECD’s 2022 International Tax Competitiveness Index Rankings. To further boost its competitiveness, the Latvian government has abolished taxes on reinvested profits and has established special incentives for foreign and domestic investment. There are five special economic zones (SEZs) in Latvia: Riga Free Port, Ventspils Free Port, Liepaja Special Economic Zone, Rezekne Special Economic Zone, and Latgale Special Economic Zone, which provide various tax benefits for investors. The Latgale Special Economic Zone covers a large part of Latgale, which is the most economically challenged region in Latvia, bordering Russia and Belarus.Despite Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, and the continued COVID-19 pandemic, Latvia’s GDP increased by 2 percent in 2022. According to the government, growth in manufacturing and services sectors were the main contributors to growth. The most competitive sectors in Latvia remain woodworking, metalworking, transportation, IT, green tech, healthcare, life science, food processing, and finance. Recent reports suggest that some of the most significant challenges investors encounter in Latvia are a shortage of available workforce, demography, quality of education, and a significant shadow economy. Latvia’s year-on-year inflation was 20.1 percent in February 2023, double the EU average (9.9 percent) and slightly higher than inflation in the other Baltic states (Estonia 17.8 percent; Lithuania 17.2 percent).Latvia has made significant progress combating money laundering since its non-resident banking sector first came under increased regulatory scrutiny in 2018 over poor compliance with international AML standards. In late 2019 and early 2020, MONEYVAL and the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) concluded that Latvia had developed and implemented strong enough reforms for combating financial crimes to avoid inclusion on FATF’s so-called &#8220;grey list.&#8221; The Government of Latvia continues work to restore confidence in its financial institutions and has passed several pieces of additional reform legislation. Latvia was the first state under MONEYVAL review to successfully implement all 40 FATF recommendations.Some investors note a perceived lack of fairness and transparency in Latvian public procurements. Several companies, including foreign companies, have complained that bidding requirements are sometimes written with the assistance of potential contractors or are couched in terms that exclude all but “preferred” contractors.The chart below shows Latvia&#8217;s ranking on several prominent international measures of interest to potential investors.Table 1: Key Metrics and RankingsMeasureYearIndex/RankWebsite AddressTI Corruption Perceptions Index202239 of 180 http://www.transparency.org/research/cpi/overview Global Innovation Index202241 of 132 https://www.globalinnovationindex.org/analysis-indicator U.S. FDI in partner country ($M USD, historical stock positions)2022285 EUR* https://apps.bea.gov/international/factsheet/   https://statdb.bank.lv/lb/Data/128/128 World Bank GNI per capita2021USD 19,790 http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/NY.GNP.PCAP.CD *This figure significantly underestimates the value of U.S. investment in Latvia due to the fact that it does not account for investments by U.S. firms through their European subsidiaries.																																					1. Openness To, and Restrictions Upon, Foreign Investment						    																																																Policies Towards Foreign Direct Investment										The Latvian government actively encourages foreign direct investment (FDI) and works with investors to improve the country&#8217;s business climate. Latvia has a dedicated investment promotion agency – the Latvian Investment and Development Agency – to provide a full scope of investment services to prospective investors:  https://www.liaa.gov.lv/en . The agency has two dedicated representatives based in the United States (San Francisco, CA and Boston, MA). The Latvian government meets annually with the Foreign Investors Council in Latvia (FICIL), which represents large foreign companies and chambers of commerce, to solicit ideas to improve the business environment and encourage foreign investment. The Prime Minister chairs the Coordination Council for Large and Strategically Important Investment Projects. In May 2022, FICIL published its Sentiment Index 2021 – a survey of current foreign investors’ assessments about the investment climate in Latvia. It is available at:  https://www.ficil.lv/sentiment-index/  .																																				Limits on Foreign Control and Right to Private Ownership and Establishment										Latvian legislation requires on the basis of national security concerns governmental approval prior to the transfer of significant ownership interests in the energy, telecommunications, and media sectors. The government is considering expanding this list of sectors. Detailed information is available here:  https://investmentpolicy.unctad.org/country-navigator/118/latvia.  To date, national security concerns have been invoked once to reject a foreign acquisition in Latvia’s media sector (Radio SWH). In addition, in February 2023 the Latvian government decided not to allow the sale of a major metal works company owned by a sanctioned Russian oligarch for security reasons:  https://baltics.news/2023/02/16/the-government-does-not-allow-the-sale-of-capital-shares-of-severstal-distribution-subject-to-sanctions/ With these limited exceptions, physical and legal persons who are citizens of Latvia or of other EU countries may freely purchase real property. Physical and legal persons who are citizens of non-EU countries (third-country nationals) generally may freely purchase developed real property. However, third-country nationals may not directly purchase certain types of agricultural, forest, and undeveloped land. Such persons may acquire ownership interest in such land through a company registered in the Register of Enterprises of the Republic of Latvia, provided that more than 50 percent of the company is owned by: (a) Latvian citizens and/or Latvian governmental entities; and/or (b) physical or legal persons from countries with which Latvia signed and ratified an international agreement on the promotion and protection of investments on or before December 31, 1996; or for agreements concluded after this date, so long as such agreements provide for reciprocal rights to land acquisition. The United States and Latvia have such an agreement (a bilateral investment treaty in force since 1996). In addition, foreign investors can lease land without restriction for up to 99 years. The Law on Land Privatization in Rural Areas allows EU citizens to purchase Latvia’s agricultural land and forests. Other restrictions apply (to both Latvian citizens and foreigners) regarding the acquisition of land in Latvia&#8217;s border areas, Baltic Sea and Gulf of Riga dune areas, and other protected areas.In May 2017, the President of Latvia promulgated amendments to the Law on Land Privatization in Rural Areas to simplify and clarify the process for local farmers to purchase land. The law, however, also prohibits foreigners who do not have a working knowledge of the Latvian language from purchasing agricultural land. On June 11, 2020, the Court of Justice of the EU found that the provision violated European law, but the Latvian government has yet to amend the law.The Latvian constitution guarantees the right to private ownership. Both domestic and foreign private entities have the right to establish and own business enterprises and engage in all forms of commercial activity, except those expressly prohibited by law.																																				Other Investment Policy Reviews										The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) published the latest Latvia Economic Snapshot in March 2022 ( http://www.oecd.org/economy/latvia-economic-snapshot/ ). Although there have been no trade policy reviews specifically involving Latvia, the WTO completed its latest review of the European Union in February 2020. ( https://www.wto.org/english/tratop_e/tpr_e/tp495_e.htm ). Additionally, in October 2017, the World Bank published a review of Latvia’s tax system ( http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/587291508511990249/Latvia-tax-review ).																																				Business Facilitation										A new business can be registered in Latvia in one day. The Latvian Investment and Development Agency has prepared a guide on starting a business in Latvia:  https://investinlatvia.org/  .The official website of the Latvian Commercial Register provides detailed information in English on the business registration process in Latvia:  https://www.ur.gov.lv/en/ .Latvia has implemented special legislation to encourage startup ventures through favorable tax treatment. For more information, please see here:  https://labsoflatvia.com/en/support .Using the European Commission definitions of micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), Latvia has established a special tax regime for microenterprises. This special tax regime is available to foreign nationals. Changes introduced as of January 2022, including an increased microenterprise tax rate, now make the tax regime less attractive for most small companies. For additional details on the microenterprise tax regime, see:  https://www.fm.gov.lv/en/micro-enterprise-tax Latvia joined other OECD countries in July 2021 in agreeing to a new framework for global tax reform and a global minimum corporate tax rate of 15 percent for multinational enterprises with annual revenue exceeding $868 million. Further detailed technical guidance can be found here:  https://www.oecd.org/tax/beps/oecd-releases-detailed-technical-guidance-on-the-pillar-two-model-rules-for-15-percent-global-minimum-tax.htm 																																				Outward Investment										The Latvian government does not incentivize outward investment nor restrict Latvians from investing overseas.																																												2. Bilateral Investment and Taxation Treaties						    																						Latvia and the United States share a bilateral investment treaty that came into force in December 1996. A list of bilateral investment agreements that Latvia has concluded is available here:  https://investmentpolicy.unctad.org/international-investment-agreements/countries/115/latvia .Latvia is a member of the OECD Inclusive Framework on Base Erosion and Profit Shifting.Latvia has concluded the Treaty on Avoidance of Double Taxation with the United States, which entered into force on December 30, 1999.																																		3. Legal Regime						    																																																Transparency of the Regulatory System										Latvia&#8217;s legislation is in compliance with EU and WTO GPA requirements. The Latvian government has developed a good working relationship with the foreign business community (through FICIL) to streamline various bureaucratic procedures and to address legal and regulatory issues as they arise. Additional information on the regulatory system in Latvia is available here:  http://rulemaking.worldbank.org/en/data/explorecountries/latvia. The public finance and debt obligations process is transparent. Detailed information on the national budget process is available on the Latvian Ministry of Finance’s website:  https://www.fm.gov.lv/en/s/budget/ .																																				International Regulatory Considerations										As an EU member, Latvia has incorporated European norms and standards into its regulatory system. As an EU member, Latvia is a signatory to the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement. As a WTO member, Latvia has the duty to notify all draft technical regulations to the WTO Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade.																																				Legal System and Judicial Independence										Latvia has a three-tier court system comprising district (city) courts, regional courts, and the Supreme Court. In addition, the Constitutional Court reviews the compatibility of decrees and acts of the President of the Republic, the government, and local authorities with the constitution and the law. Unless otherwise stipulated by law, district courts are the courts of first instance in all civil, criminal, and administrative cases. Regional courts have appellate jurisdiction over district court cases and original jurisdiction for certain cases specified in the Civil Code, such as cases on the protection of patent rights, trademarks, and geographic indicators, as well as cases on the insolvency and liquidation of credit institutions. The Supreme Court is the highest court in Latvia and – depending on the origin of the case – has either de novo review of both factual and legal findings or, in instances where it is the second appellate court reviewing a case, cassation review of only legal findings. In March 2021, Latvia established a specialized Economic Court to handle cases of corruption, economic crimes, and complex commercial disputes.City and regional courts are administered by the Ministry of Justice ( https://www.tm.gov.lv/en ), while the Supreme Court and Constitutional Court are independent.Observers have voiced concerns about the length of criminal and civil cases in Latvia, and the nature and opacity of judicial rulings have led some investors to question the fairness and impartiality of some judges. These concerns are not specific to foreign or local investors, however, and the court system is generally viewed as applying the law equally to the interests of foreign and local investors. Although the Ministry of Justice has enacted reforms designed to reduce the backlog of cases in the lower courts, improvements in the judicial system are still needed to accelerate the adjudication of cases, to strengthen the enforcement of court decisions, and to upgrade professional standards. The Economic Court was created by the government in part as an effort to accelerate and improve adjudication of commercial cases and financial crimes.																																				Laws and Regulations on Foreign Direct Investment										Incoming foreign investment in Latvia is regulated by the Commercial Law. The Latvian Investment and Development Agency’s website is a helpful resource for navigating the rules and procedures governing foreign investment:  https://investinlatvia.org .																																				Competition and Antitrust Laws										The Competition Council supervises competition-related concerns. The council’s decisions can be appealed to a court in Latvia. More information can be accessed at:  http://www.kp.gov.lv/en .In January 2023, the Competition Council fined three public passenger transport service providers $2 million for infringing on competition laws:  https://www.kp.gov.lv/en/article/cc-fines-three-public-passenger-transport-service-providers-participating-cartel .																																				Expropriation and Compensation										Cases of arbitrary expropriation of private property by the Government of Latvia are extremely rare. Expropriation of foreign investment is possible in a very limited number of cases specified in the Law on the Alienation of Immovable Property Necessary for Public Needs: ( https://likumi.lv/ta/en/en/id/220517-law-on-the-alienation-of-immovable-property-necessary-for-public-needs ). If the owner of the property claimed by the government deems the compensation inadequate, he or she may challenge the government’s decision in a Latvian court.																																				Dispute Settlement																										ICSID Convention and New York Convention						Latvia is a member of the International Center for the Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) and a member of the New York Convention on the Recognition and Enforcement of Foreign Arbitral Awards. Judgments of foreign arbitral courts that are made in accordance with either can therefore be enforced in Latvia. The Civil Procedure Law stipulates that judgments of foreign non-arbitral courts can be enforced in Latvia.						Investor-State Dispute Settlement						There have been no claims by U.S. investors under the Bilateral Investment Treaty against Latvia.On December 22, 2017, the ICSID ruled that Latvia had violated its bilateral investment treaty with Lithuania and ordered Latvia to pay $1.9 million to a Lithuanian energy company in a dispute over the nationalization of a heating and hot water supply system. According to a local law firm, this is the first decision on the merits in an ICSID case against the Republic of Latvia.						International Commercial Arbitration and Foreign Courts						The Law on Arbitration Courts regulates the establishment and operation of local arbitration courts in Latvia. According to the information available in the register, there are 62 arbitration institutions registered in Latvia ( https://www.ur.gov.lv/lv/registre/organizaciju/skirejtiesas/skirejtiesu-saraksts/ ). In most commercial agreements, parties opt to refer their disputes to arbitration rather than to Latvian courts.The Civil Procedure Law contains a section on arbitration courts. This section was drafted on the basis of the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) model, thus providing full compliance with international standards. The law also governs the enforcement of rulings of foreign non-arbitral courts and foreign arbitrations. The full text of the law in English can be found here:  https://likumi.lv/ta/en/id/50500-civil-procedure-law. 																										Bankruptcy Regulations										There are two laws governing bankruptcy procedure: the Law on Insolvency and the Law on Credit Institutions (regulating bankruptcy procedures for banks and other financial sector companies).The business community has expressed concerns over inefficiency and allegations of corruption in Latvia’s insolvency administration system. Latvia has partly addressed the issue by partnering with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development on a project entitled “Support for Debt Restructuring in Latvia.” More information is available here:  https://www.ebrd.com/news/2023/latvia-has-a-new-action-plan-to-support-public-in-resolving-financial-distress.html .																																												4. Industrial Policies						    																																																Investment Incentives										Latvia does not offer tax incentives. The Cross-Sectoral Coordination Center of Latvia is the main agency in charge of National Development Planning. In accordance with the Law on the Development Planning System ( https://likumi.lv/doc.php?id=175748 ), national development planning documents are prepared for a long term (up to 25 years), medium term (up to seven years) and short term (up to three years). More information is available here: https://www.pkc.gov.lv/enIn addition, Latvia has identified the following sectors as having the highest potential for new investment: bioeconomy, biomedicine, global business services, green technology, ICT, smart city, smart materials and photonics, engineering and metalworking, food processing, healthcare, life science, and transport and storage. The information is disseminated to the general public and potential investors via the Latvian Investment and Development Agency’s official website ( https://investinlatvia.org/en/key-sectors ), and through its representative offices (  https://www.liaa.gov.lv/en/liaa-representative-offices-abroad  ).Because the Latvian government extends national treatment to foreign investors, most investment incentives and requirements apply equally to local and foreign businesses. Latvia has three special economic zones and two free ports in which companies benefit from various tax rebates (real estate, dividend, and corporate income) and do not pay VAT. The full list of investment incentives is available here:  https://labsoflatvia.com/en/support .Latvia does not have a practice of issuing guarantees or jointly financing foreign direct investment projects.Latvia has the third highest share of renewables in total energy consumption within the European Union (42 percent). The majority of Latvia’s renewable energy comes from conventional hydro and biomass. In Latvia, renewable electricity generation is promoted through a support system based on feed-in tariffs, but the current support mechanism is under revision. Latvia’s National Climate and Energy Action Plan 2021-2030 is available here:  https://www.em.gov.lv/en/national-energy-and-climate-plan-2021-2030 .																																				Foreign Trade Zones/Free Ports/Trade Facilitation										There are five free trade areas in Latvia. Free ports have been established in Riga and Ventspils. Special economic zones (SEZ) have been created in Liepaja, a port city in western Latvia; Rezekne, a city in eastern Latvia; and Latgale, which borders Russia and Belarus and is the poorest region in Latvia.Somewhat different rules apply to each of the five zones. In general, the two free ports provide exemptions from indirect taxes, including customs duties, VAT, and excise tax. The SEZs offer additional incentives, such as an 80-100 percent reduction of corporate income taxes and real estate taxes. To qualify for tax relief and other benefits, companies must receive permits and sign agreements with the appropriate authorities: the Riga and the Ventspils Port Authorities for the respective free ports; the Liepaja SEZ Administration; the Rezekne SEZ Administration; or the Latgale SEZ Administration. The SEZs are expected to remain until 2035.																																				Performance and Data Localization Requirements										Except for specific requirements for investors acquiring former state enterprises through the privatization process, there are no performance requirements for a foreign investor to establish, maintain, or expand an investment in Latvia. In the privatization process, performance requirements for investors, both foreign and domestic, are determined on a case-by-case basis.Under Latvian Immigration Law, foreign citizens can enter and reside in Latvia for temporary business activities for up to three months in a six-month period. For longer periods of time, foreigners are required to obtain residence and work permits. The Latvian Investment and Development Agency has created a guide to help third-country nationals interested in working in Latvia obtain work permits:  https://investinlatvia.org/assets/upload/Relocation%20Guide-web.pdf .A third-country national may obtain a five-year temporary residence permit if he or she has made certain minimum equity investments in a Latvian company, certain subordinated investments in a Latvian credit institution, or purchased real estate for certain designated sums, subject to limitations in each case. More information is available here:  https://labsoflatvia.com/en/news/what-has-happened-to-the-startup-visa-since-the-war-in-ukraine Latvia’s Law on Personal Data Processing, implementing the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation, entered into force in July 2018. Full text of the Law is available here:  https://likumi.lv/ta/en/en/id/300099-personal-data-processing-law. More information is available here:  https://www.dvi.gov.lv/en/. 																																												5. Protection of Property Rights						    																																																Real Property										Latvia recognizes the full spectrum of property rights, including mortgages and liens. Latvia does not have significant problems with unclear legal titles. More information:  http://www.globalpropertyguide.com/Europe/Latvia/Buying-Guide .																																				Intellectual Property Rights										Latvia is not listed in USTR’s Special 301 Report nor included in the Notorious Markets List.To harmonize its legislation with EU and WTO requirements, Latvia has established a legal framework for the protection of intellectual property rights (IPR), including legislation to protect copyrights, trademarks, and patents. The Law on Copyrights strengthens the protection of software copyrights and neighboring rights. Foreign owners may seek redress for violation of their IPR through the appellation council at the Latvian Patent Office, as well as through private litigation. In copyright violation cases, aggrieved parties can request that the use of the pirated works be prohibited, pirated copies be destroyed, and that violators compensate them for losses (including lost profits). The Criminal Law stipulates penalties for copyright violations.The United States has signed a Trade and Intellectual Property Rights Agreement with Latvia. Latvia is a member of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) and party to the Paris Convention, the Berne Convention, the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT), the WIPO Copyright Treaty, the WIPO Performances and Phonograms Treaty, and the Geneva Phonograms Convention. In addition, the Latvian government has amended all relevant laws and regulations to comply with the requirements of the WTO Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS), to which Latvia acceded by joining the WTO.The business community has occasionally raised concerns regarding the enforcement of IPR in Latvia. Digital piracy is still a concern in Latvia,. Latvian law enforcement authorities have the authority to investigate IPR infringement cases. The Government of Latvia is working to tackle online/digital piracy, and has drafted policy guidelines:  https://www.iem.gov.lv/en/article/tackle-copyright-infringements-digital-environment-more-effectively. Every year, the European Commission publishes a report describing the customs detentions of articles suspected of infringing IPR. Those statistics are available here:  https://ec.europa.eu/taxation_customs/business/customs-controls/counterfeit-piracy-other-ipr-violations/ipr-infringements-facts-figures_en .For additional information about national laws and points of contact at local IPR offices, please see WIPO’s country profiles at  http://www.wipo.int/directory/en/ .Resources for Rights HoldersList of Attorneys in Latvia, compiled by the Consular Section of the U.S. Embassy in Riga:  https://lv.usembassy.gov/u-s-citizen-services/attorneys/American Chamber of Commerce of Latvia:  http://www.amcham.lv/en/home Contact at Copyright OfficesMs. Ilona PetersoneDirector of Copyright Division, Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Latvia+371  29255296 Ilona.Petersone@km.gov.lv Contact at Industrial Property OfficesMr. Agris BatalauskisDirector of the Patent Office of the Republic of Latvia+371 670 99 600valde@lrpv.lv 																																												6. Financial Sector						    																																																Capital Markets and Portfolio Investment										Latvian government policies do not interfere with the free flow of financial resources or the allocation of credit. Local bank loans are available to foreign investors. The NASDAQ/OMX Riga Stock Exchange (RSE) ( www.nasdaqomxbaltic.com ) operates in Latvia, and the securities market is based on the continental European model. Latvia, Estonia, and Lithuania agreed to create a pan-Baltic capital market by creating a single index classification for the entire Baltic region. Latvia is currently rated by various index providers as a frontier market due to its small size and limited liquidity.  https://www.fm.gov.lv/en/article/latvia-passes-ebrd-supported-covered-bond-law .																																				Money and Banking System										Latvia’s retail banking sector, which comprises primarily Scandinavian retail banks, generally maintains a positive reputation. Latvian banks servicing non-resident clients, however, have for several years been under increased scrutiny due to their previously poor compliance with anti-money laundering standards. In 2018, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) identified Latvia’s third-largest bank as a “foreign bank of primary money laundering concern” and issued a proposed rule prohibiting U.S. banks from doing business with or on behalf of the bank. The Latvian bank regulator has also levied fines against several non-resident banks for AML violations in recent years.Latvia is a member of the Council of Europe Committee of Experts on the Evaluation of Anti-Money Laundering Measures and the Financing of Terrorism (MONEYVAL), a Financial Action Task Force (FATF)-style regional body. After MONEYVAL issued a report on August 23, 2018, finding that Latvia’s AML regime was in substantial compliance with only one out of eleven assessment categories, was in moderate compliance with eight areas, but in low compliance with two areas, Latvia implemented a number of reforms of its financial sector. In late 2019 and early 2020, MONEYVAL and the FATF concluded that Latvia had developed and implemented strong enough reforms for combating financial crimes to avoid increased monitoring via the so-called &#8220;grey list.&#8221; With this decision, Latvia became the first member state under MONEYVAL review to successfully implement all 40 FATF recommendations. The most recent MONEYVAL report can be found at:  https://rm.coe.int/anti-money-laundering-and-counter-terrorist-financing-measures-latvia-/16809988c1. According to Latvian banking regulators, Latvia’s regulatory framework for commercial banking incorporates all principal requirements of EU directives, including a unified capital and financial markets regulator. Existing banking legislation includes provisions on accounting and financial statements (including adherence to international accounting), minimum initial capital requirements, capital adequacy requirements, large exposures, restrictions on insider lending, open foreign exchange positions, and loan-loss provisions. An Anti-Money Laundering Law and Deposit Guarantee Law have been adopted. An independent Financial Intelligence unit (FIU) operates under the supervision of the Ministry of Interior. Some of the banking regulations, such as capital adequacy and loan-loss provisions, reportedly exceed EU requirements.According to the Finance Latvia Association, the total assets of the country’s banks at the end of 2022 stood at 27.74 billion euros. More information is available at: https://kompass.bank.lv/bankas/en/assets.Securities markets are regulated by the Law on the Consolidated Capital Markets Regulator, the Law on the Financial Instrument Market, and several other laws and regulations.																																				Foreign Exchange and Remittances																										Foreign Exchange						The currency of Latvia is the euro. There are no restrictions on exchanging currencies or capital movement, and foreign investors are allowed to extract their profits in any currency with no restraints. As of March 21, 2023, one euro is worth $1.0776. Details available here:  https://www.ecb.europa.eu/stats/policy_and_exchange_rates/euro_reference_exchange_rates/html/eurofxref-graph-usd.en.html 						Remittance Policies						Latvian law provides for unrestricted repatriation of profits associated with an investment. Investors can freely convert local currency into foreign exchange at market rates and have no difficulty obtaining foreign exchange from Latvian commercial banks for investment remittances. Exchange rates and other financial information can be obtained at the European Central Bank website:  https://www.ecb.europa.eu/stats/exchange/eurofxref/html/index.en.html .																										Sovereign Wealth Funds										Latvia does not have a sovereign wealth fund.																																												7. State-Owned Enterprises						    																						State-owned enterprises (SOEs) are active in the energy and mining, aerospace and defense, services, information and communication, automotive and ground transportation, and forestry sectors. Private enterprises may compete with public enterprises on the same terms and conditions with respect to access to markets, credit, and other business operations such as licenses and supplies.The Latvian government has implemented the requirements of the EU’s Third Energy Package with respect to the electricity sector, including opening the electricity market to private power producers and allowing them to compete on an equal footing with Latvenergo, the state-owned power company. The country’s natural gas market has also been liberalized, creating competition among privately owned gas suppliers.Latvia, as an EU member, is a party to the Government Procurement Agreement within the framework of the World Trade Organization, and SOEs are covered under the agreement.Senior managers of major SOEs in Latvia report to independent boards of directors, which in turn report to line ministries. SOEs operate under the Law on Public Persons Enterprises and Capital Shares Governance. The law also establishes an entity that coordinates state enterprise ownership and requires annual aggregate reporting. Detailed information on Latvian SOEs is available here:  http://www.valstskapitals.gov.lv/en/ .For additional information please see here:  https://www.valstskapitals.gov.lv/images/userfiles/SOE_Review_LV__Final_report.pdf 																										Privatization Program										The Law on Privatization of State and Municipal Property governs the privatization process in Latvia. State joint stock company “Possessor” ( https://www.possessor.gov.lv/ ) uses a case-by-case approach to determine the method of privatization for each state enterprise. The three allowable methods are: public offering, auction for selected bidders, and international tender. For some of the largest privatized companies, a percentage of shares may be sold publicly on the NASDAQ OMX Riga Stock Exchange. The government may maintain shares in companies deemed important to the state&#8217;s strategic interests. Privatization of small and medium-sized state enterprises is considered largely complete.Latvian law designates six State Joint Stock Companies that cannot be privatized: Latvenergo (Energy and Mining), Latvijas Pasts (Postal Services), Riga International Airport, Latvijas Dzelzcels (Automotive and Ground Transportation), Latvijas Gaisa Satiksme (Aerospace and Defense), and Latvijas Valsts Mezi (Forestry). Other large companies in which the Latvian government holds a controlling interest include airBaltic (Travel), TET (Information and Communication), Latvian Mobile Telephone (Information and Communication), and Conexus Baltic Grid (Energy). During the COVID-19 pandemic, the government invested EUR 250 million into airBaltic equity, thus increasing its stake in the airline to 96.14%. The airline plans to return the investment to the state, via an initial public offering, potentially in 2024-2025.																																												8. Responsible Business Conduct						    																						Awareness of and implementation of due diligence principles of corporate social responsibility (CSR)/Responsible Business Conduct is developing among producers and consumers. Two of the most active promoters of CSR are the American Chamber of Commerce in Latvia and the Employers’ Confederation of Latvia. The Latvian Ministry of Welfare also promotes CSR. Several other initiatives promote CSR, such as the Institute for Corporate Sustainability and Responsibility ( https://www.incsr.eu/ ), the Corporate Social Responsibility Platform (https://csrlatvia.lv/), and the Human Development Award ( http://www.cilvekaizaugsme.lv/home/ ).Latvia adheres to the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises. Latvia&#8217;s national point of contact for the guidelines can be found here: https://www.mfa.gov.lv/en/latvian-national-contact-point-oecd-guidelines-multinational-enterprises. Latvia also promotes the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, endorsed by the UN Human Rights Council in 2011.																										Additional Resources										Department of StateCountry Reports on Human Rights Practices ( https://www.state.gov/reports-bureau-of-democracy-human-rights-and-labor/country-reports-on-human-rights-practices/)Trafficking in Persons Report ( https://www.state.gov/trafficking-in-persons-report/)Guidance on Implementing the &#8220;UN Guiding Principles&#8221; for Transactions Linked to Foreign Government End-Users for Products or Services with Surveillance Capabilities ( https://www.state.gov/key-topics-bureau-of-democracy-human-rights-and-labor/due-diligence-guidance/)U.S. National Contact Point for the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises ( https://www.state.gov/u-s-national-contact-point-for-the-oecd-guidelines-for-multinational-enterprises/)Xinjiang Supply Chain Business Advisory ( https://www.state.gov/xinjiang-supply-chain-business-advisory/)Department of the TreasuryOFAC Recent Actions ( https://home.treasury.gov/policy-issues/financial-sanctions/recent-actions )Department of LaborFindings on the Worst Forms of Child Labor Report ( https://www.dol.gov/agencies/ilab/resources/reports/child-labor/findings  )List of Goods Produced by Child Labor or Forced Labor ( https://www.dol.gov/agencies/ilab/reports/child-labor/list-of-goods )Sweat &amp; Toil: Child Labor, Forced Labor, and Human Trafficking Around the World ( https://www.dol.gov/general/apps/ilab )Comply Chain ( https://www.dol.gov/ilab/complychain/ )																																				Climate Issues										Latvia has adopted a strategy achieving climate neutrality by 2050, which is available here:  https://unfccc.int/documents/267179 . In addition, Latvia’s National Climate and Energy Action Plan 2021-2030 is available here:  https://www.em.gov.lv/en/national-energy-and-climate-plan-2021-2030 .																																												9. Corruption						    																																																Resources to Report Corruption										Latvian law enforcement institutions, foreign business representatives, and non-governmental organizations have identified corruption and the perception of corruption as persistent problems in Latvia. According to the 2022 Corruption Perception Index by Transparency International, Latvia ranks 39th out of 180 countries (in order from the lowest perceived level of public sector corruption to the highest).To strengthen its anti-corruption programs, the Latvian government has adopted several laws and regulations, including the Law on the Prevention of Money Laundering and Terrorism and Proliferation Financing and the Law on Prevention of Conflicts of Interest in the Work of Public Officials. The Conflicts of Interest Law imposes restrictions and requirements on public officials and their relatives. Several provisions of the law deal with the previously widespread practice of holding several positions simultaneously, often in both the public and private sector. The law includes a comprehensive list of state and municipal jobs that cannot be combined with additional employment. Moreover, the law expanded the scope of the term state official to include members of boards and councils of companies with state or municipal capital exceeding 50 percent. Additionally, Latvia is a member of the OECD Anti-Bribery Convention and the Council of Europe’s Group of States Against Corruption (GRECO). In line with OECD and GRECO recommendations, the government is working to strengthen anti-corruption policy and enforcement while improving the functioning of the independent Corruption Prevention and Combatting Bureau (KNAB).Under Latvian law, it is a crime to offer, accept, or facilitate a bribe. Although the law stipulates heavy penalties for bribery, a limited number of government officials have been prosecuted and convicted of corruption to date. The law also provides the possibility of withdrawing charges against a person giving a bribe in cases where the bribe was extorted or in cases where the person voluntarily reports these incidents and actively assists the investigation. In addition, the Latvian government adopted a whistleblower law that requires all government agencies and large companies to establish protocols to accept whistleblower disclosures and protect whistleblowers from reprisals.KNAB is the institution with primary responsibility for preventing and combating corruption and carrying out enforcement activities in response to suspected or alleged corruption. It is subordinated to the Cabinet of Ministers and supervised by the Prime Minister.KNAB also established a Public Consultative Council to help increase public participation in implementing its anti-corruption policies, increasing public awareness, and strengthening connections between the agency and the public. More information is available at:  https://www.knab.gov.lv/en/knab/consultative/public/ . The Prosecutor General’s Office also plays an important role in fighting corruption.There is a perceived lack of fairness and transparency in the public procurement process in Latvia. Several companies, including foreign companies, have complained that bidding requirements are sometimes written with the assistance of potential contractors or couched in terms that exclude all but preferred contractors.A Cabinet of Ministers regulation provides for public access to government information, and the government generally provides citizens such access. There have been no reports that the government denied noncitizens or foreign media access to government information.Resources to Report CorruptionContact at government agency responsible for combating corruption:Corruption Prevention and Combating BureauCitadeles iela 1, Riga, LV 1010, Latvia+371 67356161knab@knab.gov.lv Contact at &#8220;watchdog&#8221; organization:Delna (Latvian affiliate of Transparency International)Citadeles iela 8, Riga, LV-1010+371 67285585ti@delna.lv 																																												10. Political and Security Environment						    																						There have been no reports of political violence or politically motivated damage to foreign investors’ projects or installations. The likelihood of widespread civil disturbances is very low. While Latvia has experienced peaceful demonstrations related to political issues, there have been few incidents when these devolved into crimes against property, such as breaking shop windows or damaging parked cars. U.S. citizens are cautioned to avoid any large public demonstrations since even peaceful demonstrations can turn confrontational. The Embassy provides periodic notices to U.S. citizens in Latvia, which can be found on the Embassy’s web site:  https://lv.usembassy.gov/.																																		11. Labor Policies and Practices						    																						The official rate of registered unemployment in January 2023, according to Eurostat, was 6.8 percent ( https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/statistics-explained/index.php/Unemployment_statistics ). The Latvian State Employment Agency reported 6.3 percent unemployment at the end of February 2023. Unemployment is significantly higher in rural areas. A high percentage of the workforce has completed at least secondary or vocational education. Foreign managers praise the high degree of language skills, especially Russian and English, among Latvian workers. However, foreign managers have reported a shortage of mid- and senior-level managers with “Western” management skills.Companies must keep wages above the legally specified minimum of EUR 620 per month, as of January 2023. Union influence on the wage setting process is limited. Trade unions do not have a significant influence on the labor market. Additional information on trade unions in Latvia is available here:  http://www.worker-participation.eu/National-Industrial-Relations/Countries/Latvia .One challenge employers have faced since Latvia joined the EU is that many skilled employees can find more lucrative employment opportunities in other EU countries. Unofficial statistics suggest that more than 240,000 people have moved from Latvia to other EU countries since May 1, 2004. Despite the fact that the macroeconomic situation in Latvia has stabilized, skilled and unskilled workers continue to emigrate. The government is implementing a strategy to entice people who have left Latvia to return.According to several reports, there is a significant shortage of workers in manufacturing, wholesale and retail, transport and storage, and ICT sectors. The largest share of registered unemployment is made up of persons with only primary or secondary education who do not possess specialized skills. To address this shortage, the Latvian government has approved a list of highly skilled professions that employers may use to recruit professionals abroad to work in Latvia:  https://www.em.gov.lv/en/news/18513-the-government-supports-the-application-of-simplified-conditions-for-the-attraction-of-highly-qualified-foreign-professionals .The Labor Law addresses discrimination issues, provides detailed provisions on the rights and obligations of employees&#8217; representatives, and created the Conciliation Commission, a mechanism that can be used in the workplace to resolve labor disputes before going to arbitration. Victims of sexual harassment in the workplace can also submit a complaint to the Office of the Ombudsman and the State Labor Inspectorate.Full-time employees in Latvia work 40 hours a week. Normally, there are five working days per week, but employers may schedule a sixth workday without offering premium pay. Employees are entitled to four calendar weeks of annual paid vacation per year. Employers are prohibited from entering into an employment contract with a foreign individual who does not have a valid work permit.Latvia is a member of the International Labor Organization (ILO) and has ratified all eight ILO Core Conventions.Latvia&#8217;s shadow economy – largely driven by undeclared wages and business earnings – continues to be a major challenge. The annual Stockholm School of Economics Riga “Shadow Economy Index” shows that in 2021 the shadow economy grew by 1.1 percentage point and reached 26.6 percent of GDP. The detailed report is available here:  https://www.sseriga.edu/shadow-economy-index-baltic-countries .																																		12. U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC), and Other Investment Insurance or Development Finance Programs						    																						As a high-income country, as defined by the World Bank, Latvia only qualifies for DFC’s programs for energy infrastructure projects.Latvia is a member of the World Bank Group&#8217;s Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA), which also provides risk insurance.																																		13. Foreign Direct Investment Statistics						    																						Table 2: Key Macroeconomic Data, U.S. FDI in Host Country/EconomyHost Country Statistical source*USG or international statistical sourceUSG or International Source of Data:  BEA; IMF; Eurostat; UNCTAD, OtherEconomic DataYearAmountYearAmountHost Country Gross Domestic Product (GDP) ($M USD)2021EUR 39.85 billion2020$34.6 billionhttps://data.worldbank.org/country/latvia? Foreign Direct InvestmentHost Country Statistical source*USG or international statistical sourceUSG or international Source of data:  BEA; IMF; Eurostat; UNCTAD, OtherU.S. FDI in partner country ($M USD, stock positions)2022EUR 285 million202136BEA data available at https://apps.bea.gov/international/factsheet/ https://statdb.bank.lv/lb/Data/128/128   Host country’s FDI in the United States ($M USD, stock positions)2022EUR 61 million2021N/ABEA data available at https://apps.bea.gov/international/factsheet/  https://statdb.bank.lv/lb/Data/129Total inbound stock of FDI as % host GDP202160.9%202061.1%UNCTAD data available athttps://unctad.org/topic/investment/world-investment-report   * Source for Host Country Data: Bank of Latvia https://statdb.bank.lv/lb/ Table 3: Sources and Destination of FDIDirect Investment from/in Counterpart Economy DataFrom Top Five Sources/To Top Five Destinations (US Dollars, Millions)Inward Direct InvestmentOutward Direct InvestmentTotal Inward24,043100%Total Outward6,019100%Sweden6,80128%Estonia2,36539%Estonia2,95612%Lithuania1,78630%Russian Federation2,0989%Bulgaria1482%Lithuania1,8168%Ukraine1332%Cyprus1,4606%Russian Federation1262%&#8220;0&#8221; reflects amounts rounded to +/- USD 500,000.																																		14. Contact for More Information						    																						Andrew ByrleyEconomic OfficerSamnera Velsa iela 1, Riga, Latvia, LV-1510+371 6710 7000RigaCommerce@state.gov																										    							View report by:																				Albania											Algeria											Andorra											Angola											Antigua and Barbuda											Argentina											Armenia											Australia											Austria											The Bahamas											Azerbaijan											Bahrain											Bangladesh											Barbados											Belarus											Belgium											Belize											Benin											Bolivia											Bosnia and Herzegovina											Botswana											Brazil											Brunei											Bulgaria											Burkina Faso											Burma											Burundi											Cabo Verde											Cambodia											Cameroon											Canada											Chile											China											Colombia											Costa Rica											Côte d’Ivoire											Croatia											Cyprus											Czechia											Democratic Republic of the Congo											Denmark											Djibouti											Dominica											Dominican Republic											Ecuador											Egypt											El Salvador											Equatorial Guinea											Eritrea											Estonia											Eswatini											Ethiopia											Fiji											Finland											France and Monaco											The Gambia											Gabon											Georgia											Germany											Ghana											Greece											Grenada											Guatemala											Guinea											Guyana											Haiti											Honduras											Hong Kong											Hungary											Iceland											India											Indonesia											Iraq											Ireland											Israel											Italy											Jamaica											Japan											Jordan											Kazakhstan											Kenya											Kosovo											Kyrgyz Republic											Laos											Latvia											Lebanon											Lesotho											Liberia											Libya											Lithuania											Luxembourg											Macau											Madagascar											Malawi											Malaysia											Maldives											Mali											Malta											Marshall Islands											Mauritania											Mauritius											Mexico											Micronesia											Moldova											Mongolia											Montenegro											Morocco											Mozambique											Namibia											Nepal											Netherlands											New Zealand											Nicaragua											Niger											Nigeria											North Macedonia											Norway											Oman											Pakistan											Palau											Panama											Papua New Guinea											Paraguay											Philippines											Peru											Poland											Portugal											Qatar											Republic of the Congo											Romania											Rwanda											Saint Kitts and Nevis											Saint Lucia											Saint Vincent and the Grenadines											Samoa											Sao Tome and Principe											Saudi Arabia											Senegal											Serbia											Seychelles											Sierra Leone											Singapore											Slovakia											Slovenia											Somalia											South Africa											South Korea											South Sudan											Spain											Sri Lanka											Suriname											Sweden											Switzerland											Taiwan											Tajikistan											Tanzania											Thailand											Timor-Leste											Togo											Trinidad and Tobago											Tunisia											Türkiye											United Arab Emirates											Uganda											Ukraine											United Kingdom											Uruguay											Uzbekistan											Vietnam											West Bank and Gaza											Zambia											Zimbabwe															Build A Custom Report																						On This Page				search													>																										EXECUTIVE SUMMARY																1. Openness To, and Restrictions Upon, Foreign Investment																																							Policies Towards Foreign Direct Investment																																																						Limits on Foreign Control and Right to Private Ownership and Establishment																																																						Other Investment Policy Reviews																																																						Business Facilitation																																																						Outward Investment																																																			2. Bilateral Investment and Taxation Treaties																3. Legal Regime																																							Transparency of the Regulatory System																																																						International Regulatory Considerations																																																						Legal System and Judicial Independence																																																						Laws and Regulations on Foreign Direct Investment																																																						Competition and Antitrust Laws																																																						Expropriation and Compensation																																																						Dispute Settlement																																																				ICSID Convention and New York Convention																																												Investor-State Dispute Settlement																																												International Commercial Arbitration and Foreign Courts																																																																																				Bankruptcy Regulations																																																			4. Industrial Policies																																							Investment Incentives																																																						Foreign Trade Zones/Free Ports/Trade Facilitation																																																						Performance and Data Localization Requirements																																																			5. Protection of Property Rights																																							Real Property																																																						Intellectual Property Rights																																																			6. Financial Sector																																							Capital Markets and Portfolio Investment																																																						Money and Banking System																																																						Foreign Exchange and Remittances																																																				Foreign Exchange																																												Remittance Policies																																																																																				Sovereign Wealth Funds																																																			7. State-Owned Enterprises																																							Privatization Program																																																			8. Responsible Business Conduct																																							Additional Resources																																																						Climate Issues																																																			9. Corruption																																							Resources to Report Corruption																																																			10. Political and Security Environment																11. Labor Policies and Practices																12. U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC), and Other Investment Insurance or Development Finance Programs																13. Foreign Direct Investment Statistics																14. Contact for More Information																						Tags																					Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs																								Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs																								Latvia