Translated using ChatGPT service.
From April 1–3, 2025, the Ministry of Economics hosted a three-day training session on the application of business intelligence (BI) tools. The training was led by Tiziano Lattisi, a senior data analyst at the OECD, who shared his expertise on data analysis and visualization solutions to enhance surveillance efficiency.
The training was organized within a project implemented by the Ministry of Economics with the support of the European Union’s Technical Support Instrument and the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Structural Reform Support (DG REFORM), in collaboration with the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). It took place as part of the European Commission's structural reform project “Building a more effective and efficient market surveillance and intellectual property system for Latvia.” The aim of the project is to strengthen the analytical and technical capacities of Latvian market surveillance institutions to promote data-driven decision-making.
The importance of BI tools in modern surveillance work cannot be overstated—they enable more effective data analysis, risk prioritization, and evidence-based decision-making. Power BI, the tool at the core of the training, offers interactive data visualizations, easy integration with various databases, and wide-ranging collaboration capabilities across institutions.
Over the three days, participants learned the fundamentals of BI tools, data import and transformation, model building, and data visualization techniques. The training also included practical tasks involving real surveillance data, allowing participants to apply their newly acquired skills in real-world scenarios.
A special focus during the training was placed on the role of data in risk assessment and how BI solutions can improve surveillance effectiveness without requiring major investments in IT platform integration.
The training was attended by 14 experts from the Consumer Rights Protection Centre, the Health Inspectorate, and the State Labour Inspectorate.