The European Commission published its 2026 Rule of Law Report country chapter on Latvia on 17 July 2026, assessing progress on judicial independence, anti-corruption, media freedom, and institutional safeguards. The report finds that Latvia has taken steps to strengthen judicial appointment safeguards and anti-corruption planning, but recommends completing reforms on Supreme Court judge appointments and lobbying transparency.
According to the Commission's staff working document, the Judicial Council concluded in January 2026 that all parliamentary decisions on judicial appointments fall under constitutional review, and the government prepared amendments to formalise this right, published in May 2026 and submitted to parliament. The report also notes that the Corruption Prevention and Combating Action Plan 2026-2027 was adopted by the Cabinet of Ministers in April 2026, setting four objectives and 19 activities. The Judicial Academy started operating in January 2025, providing training for judges and prosecutors. Amendments to the State Ensured Legal Aid Law were adopted in April 2026, expanding access to legal aid in Constitutional Court proceedings. A cap on the maximum payable fee to start litigation in state court was introduced in April 2025.
On media freedom, the merger of public television and radio into Latvian Public Media has been completed. Amendments to the law on the Press and Other Mass Media introduced mandatory registration of media service providers and disclosure of beneficial ownership. The audiovisual media regulator continues to operate independently, with additional staff strengthening its monitoring capacity.
The Commission recommends that Latvia take forward the legislative process to ensure adequate safeguards against undue political influence in Supreme Court judge appointments, and ensure effective implementation of lobbying legislation, including the special interim lobby register. The report is part of the broader 2026 Rule of Law Report covering all EU member states, which the Commission presented to the European Parliament, the Council, and advisory committees.