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Latvia - National Programme Information

National policies

Approximately half of the total R&D funding in Latvia comes from the government. Public funding of R&D is distributed mostly by the Ministry of Education and Science, but recently the Ministry of Economics also has started to distribute funds to support co-operation between research organisations and the business sector.

Possibly the most remarkable characteristic of the Latvian research funding system is the recent considerable increase of funding. This increase is due to two reasons: an increase in GERD financed by government and the inflow of EU Structural Funds. In 2003, the government expenditure on R&D was approximately 16 million EUR (Source: Ministry of Education and Science (2005) "Research and Development in the Republic of Latvia"). Three years later it was more than doubled with approximately 38 million EUR. Due to the Structural Funds it can be expected that further increases will be realised. According to the Law on Research Activity (2005), government research funding has to increase by 0.15% annually until it reaches 1% of GDP. In 2003, public R&D expenditure was 0.25% of GDP (Source: European Innovation Scoreboard 2005).

Priority areas

There are some innovative method transfers for production of maritime related products for industry. Marine related education network, R&D training and scientific cooperation were organised for universities and research organisations.

Funding organisations

The Ministry of Transport and Communications
The Ministry of Transport and Communications of Republic of Latvia supervises very significant fields of the national economy - transport (road, rail, sea and air transport), communications (telecommunications and post) and information technologies. The main tasks of the Ministry include the issues of strategic policies, finance and regulation.

LIDA - Latvian Investment and Development Agency
LIDA is the main public financing and expert organization for investment and technological development in Latvia. LIDA finances industrial R&D projects as well as projects in research institutes. The objective of the Latvian Investment and Development Agency (LIDA) is to promote business development by facilitating more foreign investment, in parallel increasing the competitiveness of Latvian entrepreneurs in both domestic and foreign markets. LIDA funds come from the state budget via the Ministry of Transport and Communications.

MAL - Latvian Maritime Administration
Maritime Administration of Latvia is a supervisory authority of the Ministry of Transport which through the Maritime Administration and Marine Safety Law has delegated to supervising the different issues related with marine safety.

Programme information

Milestones of the former National innovation programme (2003 – 2006) are the harmonization and coordination for development of enabling environment for innovation actions in Latvia.

In 2005, five national research programmes were launched in conformity with the stated priorities. The national research programmes are supposed to be the main tool for implementation of these research priorities.

On 30 May 2006, the Cabinet of Ministers approved the thematic priorities for 2006-2009. New priorities include five previous priority fields as well as four new ones: agro-biotechnology, energy, and environment and health sciences. State research programmes in four new priority fields will be launched.

The new draft Guidelines for Development of Science and Technology 2006-2013 envisage the establishment of a new consultative and co-ordinating institution – the Council of Science and Technology Development Strategy chaired by the Prime Minister.

Contact Point

The Ministry of Transport and Communications
LR Satiksmes ministrija
Gogola iela 3
LV - 1743 Riga (Lettland)
Tel: + 371 - 702 82 22 / + 371 - 722 69 22
Fax + 371 – 721 71 80
URL:

www.sam.gov.lv

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