The Single Market Scoreboard 2019 published by the European Commission ranks Latvia on the leading position in the overall performance of EU Member States in 11 indicators. It is important for the Ministry of Economics to ensure that the Single Market operates in the interests of Latvian citizens and businesses – that the regulation allows safe work, travel, shopping, investment and business in the European Union.
For the EU Single Market to function better and to protect the interests of consumers and businesses, it is important to ensure the timely and correct implementation of high-quality EU regulations. The European Commission has appreciated Latvia’s performance, acknowledging that Latvia is one of the 15 EU Member States, which has not exceeded the 0.5% rate in the amount of EU law that has not been transposed. This is largely possible thanks to the Latvian political system and its efficient decision-making process.
Latvia’s performance on “Your Europe”, which is a portal established in 2018, where citizens and businesses can obtain clear information on their rights in the EU Single Market, has also been appreciated. Under the leadership of the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Regional Development, Latvia has launched comprehensive work on improving information and electronically executable procedures, also changing the concept of offering joint services from reactive to proactive services. In 2023, society is expected to be offered a revised national services portal latvija.lv. As Latvian businessmen have repeatedly pointed to problems in obtaining the necessary information, the Ministry of Economics, in cooperation with the institutions, is working to make information on the requirements for products and service providers available on the portal by the end of 2020.
The work of the Latvian SOLVIT Centre has also been highly appreciated. In 2019, the Latvian SOLVIT Centre received 15 SOLVIT cases from residents and businessmen with a request for assistance in finding a solution due to difficulties in obtaining the desired results in contacts with the authorities of other EU Member States. For the second year in a row, Latvian SOLVIT has resolved all the cases submitted (100%) and, in general, the assistance is provided quickly and effectively, within 10 weeks on average. The SOLVIT centre is an alternative dispute resolution mechanism set up by the European Commission and Member States for dealing with complaints by citizens and entrepreneurs arising from non-compliance with the EU law by authorities in other EU and EEA Member States. The SOLVIT centre helps to address problems arising from the recognition of professional qualifications, mutual recognition of goods, freedom of establishment, and other complaints related to the actions of a public authority or when the rights of a resident or an undertaking under EU law are not respected or the infringement has occurred in another EU Member State.
The Single Market Scoreboard is an annual European Commission’ review which gives an insight into the practical management of the Single Market. It makes it possible not only to obtain information on all Member States, but also to reflect the results achieved, the feedback received, and the conclusions made, providing a basis for further development. The European Commission has also appreciated the progress made by Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, Finland and Slovakia in the implementation of the Single Market.
Furthermore, this review will be viewed within the European Semester process (the EU cycle for economic and fiscal policy coordination), which evaluates and analyses annually the progress made by Member States in the necessary economic reforms. The recommendations of the European Semester are part of the EU’s economic governance framework and the Single Market Scoreboard will be viewed together with the recommendations provided.
The Single Market Scoreboard can be consulted here.
More information on the European Semester process here.