Press release
On Friday 26 May, the 21st FICIL and Latvian government High Council Meeting will be held. The most important topics for this year include economic growth and tax policy, the fight against economic crime, higher education, transport and logistics, as well as waste management and energy.
As the international competition for investment attraction increases, one of the topics to be addressed by officials and major foreign investors in Latvia will be how to promote and develop competitive advantages of Latvia in order to attract investment more actively and compete successfully with neighbouring countries. The officials will also discuss what improvements are still necessary in the business environment, including tax policy. FICIL will present the proposals for higher education, economic crime and further development of the transport and logistics industry to government representatives, as well as shed light on the opportunities for waste management and sustainable energy.
The meeting will traditionally be opened by Prime Minister Māris Kučinskis and Stephen Oldfield, FICIL Honorary Chairman, PricewaterhouseCoopers UK partner.
This year's leitmotif for our dialogue with the government– "Do!" We see that the government has launched a number of significant reforms. There are industries where we see positive changes. "Do!" is our call for the government not to stop halfway and continue with the reforms already launched, as well as to begin new ones in order to make Latvia an open and modern economy," says Zlata Elksniņa-Zaščirinska, FICIL Chairperson of the Board about this year's topic. "Our vision is that by 2025, Latvia is the most attractive place for doing business in the Baltic Sea Region".
The 21st FICIL and Latvian government High Council Meeting will be held on 26 May commencing at 9:00, in the Green Hall of the Cabinet of Ministers. Media opportunities: TV/photo opportunity at the beginning of the meeting; at 10:15 - Family photo in the lobby of the Cabinet of Ministers (1st floor).
After the meeting at 12:30 - a press conference in the Press Conference Room of the Cabinet of Ministers (3rd floor), with participation of M.Kučinskis and S.Oldfield.
Addresses by Prime Minister M.Kučinskis and FICIL Honorary Chairman, PricewaterhouseCoopers UK partner, Stephen Oldfield and the press conference will be streamed live on the website of the Cabinet of Ministers.
FICIL and government meeting
FICIL is a public entity that brings together the largest foreign companies in Latvia, the foreign chambers of commerce and the Stockholm School of Economics in Riga. FICIL actively searches for and proposes solutions to improve and develop the business and investment environment in the country in cooperation with the government of Latvia. According to the priority issues raised by investors, the working groups, which are composed of representatives of investors' companies and foreign chambers of commerce, develop specific proposals within the FICIL framework.
The high-level meetings of the government of Latvia and FICIL have been taking place since 1999 with the objective to provide structured information and exchange of views between investors and local policy makers to improve the business environment and encourage foreign investment inflows in Latvia. The annual meetings of the government of Latvia and FICIL are attended by ministers, senior officials and heads of FICIL member organizations.
Andrejs Vaivars
Press Secretary to the Prime Minister
Phone: 29228678
E-mail: Andrejs.Vaivars@mk.gov.lv