National Positions
Latvia has contributed to the shaping and drafting of the EUSBSR since the moment the idea was conceived. Consultations were held with stakeholders in Latvia, and a dialogue took place with the region’s countries and the European Commission.
As early as in 2008, the Latvian Cabinet of Ministers approved an initial national position on the EUSBSR which set out priority areas based on the evaluation of opinions offered by line ministries and stakeholders in the framework of the consultation process. Those were: 1) Energy; 2) Competitiveness; 3) Education, research and culture; 4) Environment; 5) Public safety. From Latvia’s perspective, a well-developed Baltic Sea Region will contribute to the increase of the overall competitiveness in the EU and make the eastern rim of the Baltic Sea more competitive.
In December 2008, in order to provide a contribution to the drafting of the Action Plan for the Strategy, the Cabinet of Ministers approved a national position identifying the regional cooperation projects that Latvia supported including in the plan.
In August 2009, having considered the European Commission’s proposal on the Strategy and its Action Plan, the Cabinet of Ministers approved the national position reflecting Latvia’s opinion on the implementation and management of the Strategy and its Action Plan and setting out procedures for the coordination of that process in Latvia.
The directions of regional cooperation important for Latvia include the Baltic Energy Market Interconnection Plan and its implementation, a coordinated development of the Trans-European Transport Network and its connections with countries neighbouring the EU, increasing the competitiveness of logistics services, ensuring the border crossing capacity at the EU’s external border, development of a common area of education and research in the Baltic Sea Region, and cross-border cooperation in the assessment and prevention of environmental pollution.
Coordination of Cooperation at the National Level
In August 2009, in order to coordinate co-operation between ministries, social partners and non-governmental organisations in support of the implementation of the Action Plan, a working group was established by a Cabinet of Ministers decision, its membership representing all line ministries and the Employers’ Confederation of Latvia. In 2012, representatives from the Latvian Association of Local and Regional Governments and the Cross-Sectorial Coordination Centre were also included in the working group. Latvia’s involvement of in the implementation of the EUSBSR at the national level is coordinated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
On 15 July 2025, the Cabinet adopted an order on the renewed composition of the working group.
In each Policy Area outlined in the Action Plan, one of the line ministries or institutions ensures the identification of Latvia’s interests at the national level and their representation at the EU level.
Three steps towards practical involvement in the implementation of the Action Plan
- Study the Action Plan and its summary of the ongoing and planned cooperation in the region in line with the 14 Policy Areas.
- Contact the National Coordinator for the EUSBSR (bjs@mfa.gov.lv) or the Focal Point in Latvia, which coordinates the cooperation priority of your interest.
- Contact the coordinator of the respective Policy Area and potential cooperation partners in the region.
Funding Sources for the Strategy’s Projects
The Strategy can serve as an effective tool for putting in practice EU policies in the Baltic Sea Region to promote a coordinated use of the EU’s and other financial resources available in the region in the implementation of the policy areas defined within the Strategy framework. The Strategy does not offer additional funding; however, it is possible to receive significant support under various EU programmes and funding instruments.
The European Social Fund+, the European Regional Development Fund, the Cohesion Fund, the European Agricultural Fund for rural development and the European Fisheries Fund are the main sources of funding for the Strategy. At the same time, the Strategy and the activities and projects under its Action Plan can also be financed from other sources – Horizon 2020, the joint Baltic Sea research and development programme (BONUS), the LIFE programme, education and culture programmes, and the Interreg Baltic Sea Region programme.
Funding can also be drawn from national, regional or private sources. Besides, projects in the transport, energy and ICT sectors can apply for funding from the Connecting Europe Facility. Larger projects can attract additional funding from international financial institutions – the European Investment Bank and the Nordic Investment Bank.
