- 2026-06-16 “Thank you very much, Marilyn, and thank you very much, Peter. And I should say that, first of all, I really agree with Commissioner Serafim, and I thank the presidency and the Duma, Elena, for your enormous efforts on providing us an egg box and also for trying to accommodate diverse interests of member states. They are indeed very different, and it's great that we are having this on the table. And we also acknowledge that there are some positive developments, but we also believe that there's some more work needs to be done. And I have several bullet points on our thoughts about the the work that is still still undone or still need to be addressed. So first of all, on the cuts, we truly believe that before proposing to make any reductions in MBF. We need to have a serious work on our own resources on the new own resources. We believe that there is a. There is a playing field playing field on that. And Latvia has expressed our openness to consider our new own resources and also to consider changes in existing ones. And we believe that this is the reserve. We still haven't used enough. Secondly, we are quite often talking about the needs of the eastern border regions, which for the fifth consecutive year face both socioeconomic and security consequences of the Russia's unfair war in Ukraine. And we thank the commission, of course, for the communication on the eastern border regions.”
Own EU resources
- 2026-06-16 “That explained very well the challenges we face. I will not dig into details, but last week's and last drone incursions, they pressure both our economy and security, And this pressure is increasing. Uh, and, uh, we appreciate that the box now mentions the support for all external borders, but we believe we need a specific solution for eastern border regions. And we we will continue to stand with this evaluation. Uh, third, unfortunately, there is at the moment no solution that will ensure a level playing field for our farmers. And it's not only a question of funding levels, but it's actually mainly the question of the conditions of support for our farmers and how they change the amount of support in every member state. Uh, this is important for the majority of member states on the table, I believe. And it's not only important because of the funding member states need, but also because of the few security. Uh, let's face the truth. We, we are having multiple crises just popping up all around our, our continent. And we truly believe that we need to make sure that the support for our farmers is large enough that we can produce here on our own soil, because in the case of crisis, it's hardly imagined that we will be able to get the basic resources elsewhere. Fourth to the proposed cuts under heading two.
**Latvia We think this proposal is actually quite dangerous. Uh, heading two finances, uh, priorities that actually, I believe everyone agrees on. Defense, security, connectivity, and competitiveness. And the reduction of funding for these areas would definitely be against our interests. And this is especially true for the defense window of ICF and ECF. And finally, last but not least, uh, some might say, and some are already saying that cohesion and common agricultural policy are policies of yesterday. And they are they are not contributing to the modern priorities or the new priorities of European Union. I don't believe it's really correspondent to the reality we live in because development and modernization in Latvia, and also in many other countries and many other regions of different countries, since the accession in the EU has happened to a large extent because of these policies. And of course, the new MFF will modernize the cohesion policy even further, and we definitely support that. But we need to make sure that these policies are effective and modern and still standing, because this has been, and I believe will continue to be the driver for our economic activity. And just to conclude, we are definitely ready to work with everyone to address the remaining issues. We don't believe that there is no way how to fix them and how to address them, but we are unfortunately still quite far from the final result. Thank you.”
Cohesion and rural funding · Defence spending · Agricultural funding
- 2026-06-16 “Thanks a lot, Marilyn. And we would like to thank the presidency for advancing discussions on these three highly important draft regulations. We have supported the presidency's efforts with the aim of reaching the agreement on the MFF by the end of this year, and we want to be constructive and open to discuss reasonable compromises along the way. And this is why we also vote in support today. However, of course, this is not the end of the process. As we have already noted in the statement, several important issues remain to be addressed during the MFF negotiations and notably through the Negro box. I'll just outline some of them regarding the ECF. We need to continue our work to ensure access for excellent projects from across the EU, specifically including in those parts of the Union where private investments are constrained by security risks and thus for the NLP. Everyone around this table is already aware of the socio economic challenges facing the eastern border regions, and we will continue our efforts to better tailor the RNP to these pressing needs. And lastly, within the Common Agricultural Policy Framework of the. Nlp will also continue our work to ensure a level playing field for our farmers and to avoid undermining the common nature of the Common Agricultural Policy. Thank you.”
Agricultural funding
- “Thank you, Mr. Chairman. And commissioner colleagues, I would like to thank our Portuguese colleagues for this proposal. Latvia, too, believes that we should create a favourable environment for the introduction of new technologies in agriculture, and that allowing the use of drones would be the first step in this direction. Therefore, we support and we have joined the document prepared by Portugal. We too would like to receive from the Commission clear proposals on the use of drones for the application of plant protection products, including risk assessment and risk management procedures and criteria. Our farmers too, have shown interest in using drones to make the application of plant protection products more precise and efficient. This technology has already been successfully implemented in several parts of the world. Thank you.”
Digital and precision farming
- “The costs are too high for the private sector. Sufficient public funding and support intensity are necessary Since new energy transition technologies are cross cutting, the transition is most likely to occur simultaneously with other sectors, adapting the new technologies to the specific needs. It is important that any barriers hindering the energy transition are eliminated within the CFP. Adequate public support must be ensured for both innovation, development and knowledge transfer, especially for replacement of old fishing vessels and adaptation of port infrastructure. Regarding the third question, member states can only assume appropriate responsibility if adequate funding is provided. Unfortunately, the current MFF proposal for 2034 does not reflect this. Therefore, I believe that the primary focus at this time should be on ensuring sufficient financial and administrative support for the sector to address the challenges of the coming period, including energy transition. In conclusion, I would like to thank our Italian colleagues for the document. Latvia certainly supports and endorses it. We urge the Commission to take immediate steps to stabilize the very complex situation we find ourselves in. Thank you.”
Funding for fisheries and aquaculture
- “Thank you. Chair. Commissioner. Colleagues in Latvia. You. The proposed framework is moving in the right direction and can meaningfully contribute to strengthening industrial capacity, accelerating decarbonisation and improving competitiveness in strategic EU sectors. Thus saying this and hearing all of the speeches before I can say, uh, we have to align our interests because all of the questions raised today, uh, without this will be very hard to move forward in practical ways. For example, uh, we, we all support the streamlined, uh, procedures, permitting procedures, All of the tools that can help to reindustrialize Europe in a smart manner. All of the practical implementations of the rules. And when we come to the question, how can we move further forward faster? Um, I stated in the doorstep, where is will? There is a way. And I think the will is here. And the only problem is the way. And we have to find a faster way. We have to find a better way to move forward, to align all of our interests, not go to the extremes in regulating the market markets. For example, uh, regarding the public procurement part, I don't think there would be a minister here who wouldn't say that European sourcing sourcing is utmost the most important thing for the industry to be reborn in Europe.”
"Buy European" provisions
- “Thank you. Dear Commissioner. Ministers, colleagues, we would like to begin by expressing your gratitude to the presidency for reiterating Re-initiating discussions on the chemical strategy of sustainability. We also extend our appreciation to previous presidencies and commission for their dedicated efforts towards implementing this crucial strategy, particularly the progress made on the CLP regulation, which is soon to be adopted, and the advances with the one substance, one assessment package. The chemical strategy is vital for achieving a high level of protection for both human health and the environment from hazardous chemicals. At the same time, it supports EU strategic autonomy in key sectors of chemical industry and fosters research and innovation. However, it is crucial to review and update strategy's roadmap in light of the global developments since 2020. It includes addressing the related challenges such as rising costs and increasing dependency on external external sources which have become more prominent. We believe it is equally essential to align and coordinate the strategy with other key policies, such as the Zero Pollution Action Act, the European Industrial Industrial Strategy and the Pharmaceutical Strategy, along with EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030. Such coordination is necessary to manage risks effectively and optimise resources as we walk towards a toxic, free environment. Recognising that each strategy is not only important but also feasible to implement. Furthermore, Latvia considers the ongoing reach review to be a critical step forward. Simplifying reach and reducing the administrative burden for all stakeholders should be a priority, ensuring the process is more streamlined and accessible. We would also like to emphasize the strong linkage between the strategy's actions and its supporting mechanisms. Simplified regulatory processes, enhanced collaboration and the use of digital tools will be critical for EU institutions and member States to mitigate delays, accelerate implementation, and ensure the effective delivery of the new tasks. In conclusion, continued collaboration and commitment from all parties will be key to successful implementation of the chemical strategy and sustainability, ultimately safeguarding a sustainable future for us all. Thank you.”
Chemicals regulation
- “Thank you, Mr. President. Mr. Commissioner colleagues, thank you to the Hungarian colleagues for starting this discussion. Latvia agrees that vaccination can be a powerful tool for limiting the spread and consequences of animal infectious diseases. However, it can only serve as an addition to the existing biosecurity measures and the surveillance of animal infectious diseases. We cannot allow infectious diseases to create public health concerns and adversely affect trade, budget and competitiveness, both in the member states and the EU internal market. For this purpose, we need both safe vaccines and sufficient EU co-funding. Thank you.”
Animal diseases prevention and management in the EU
- “Thank you, dear presidency. Thank you for the opportunity to discuss this important issue today among environmental ministers. Knowing that our Prime Ministers will also address it soon. We welcome the decision to move this debate to the highest political level. We expect to see more light on the principles of the future futures architectures of the targets. It is vital that the future target is realistic, especially under difficult geopolitical circumstances. By strengthening our defence is a top priority. And yes, so dirty is important too. We welcome the significant progress made in the text. Several elements suggested by Latvia are included. Thank you for that. We believe they must be preserved. It helps to us to keep that important to trust of society where we are going together. The 2040 targets must be practically achievable and beneficial to our economies and society. Country level impact assessments are necessary to ensure clarity. The climate law should include the following important elements. We must be able to continue using local renewable energy, especially biomass. Like my previous colleague Estonian said, more than half of Latvian territory is forest the same? And that was the key how we could switch off from Russian gas despite we have straight pipeline. The law must respect the natural of the Lulucf sector, including the uncertainty and variability of CO2 removals and its role in the economy and food security.”
Energy (green transition)
- “And dear chair, dear colleagues. Latvia. Support balanced and pragmatic EU industrial policy that strengthens both traditionally strong sectors as well as new industries. Eu policies must be better aligned with diverse economic and industrial structures of the member states and their regions. We call for pragmatic and regionally tailored approach that builds on local strengths, especially in areas such as agriculture, forestry, food sectors where Latvia sees strong bioeconomy and biotechnology potential. To fully unlock the twin transition, we need targeted investments in infrastructure, clean technologies, skills and affordable energy. At the same time, decarbonisation goals must remain realistic and flexible, ensuring that industry industry transformation does not undermine economic resilience. Latvia supports competitiveness roadmap, but calls for simpler and more coordinated EU funding instruments, as well as reduction of administrative burden and in addressing missing infrastructure and supply chain challenges is also crucial. Thank you.”
Energy (green transition)
- “Another issue that Latvia's investments in defence capabilities and readiness to safeguard the our common eastern border from external threats are in real life done at the expense of productive investments. And furthermore, of course, the war in Ukraine has a negative and disproportionate social economic impact on the countries bordering Russia and Belarus. And regretfully, we do not see this reality reflected anywhere besides the home funds and also regarding our farmers. It's important that the location cement historical injustice and finally ensure a level playing field in terms of direct payments. As for security, defense and Competitiveness fund. We welcome the overall increase in funding for security and defense. And also we welcome that a sizable share of the competitiveness fund is directed towards defense sector, military mobility and civil defense industry, as well as critical infrastructure. This is definitely a positive development. Uh, for interconnectivity part, we also welcome the increase of in the amount of staff, particularly for transport and military mobility, but also for energy. Uh, all these sectors are crucial for the future economy of the EU, and this is good that we are able to increase the funding there. For Ukraine, we fully welcome that. There is a predictable and long term instrument for supporting Ukraine. And last but not least, for the owner sources. We are open to continue discussions on how to diversify financing in the next MFF and have started to analyse the new proposal, but will be more concrete further on. Thank you very much.”
Defence spending
- “Thank you, Madam Chair. Commissioner. Colleagues. Thank you. The presidency for having this discussion. In response to the first question. Amendments to the MFF regulation should be supported. However, such proposal would be already overdue. So we cannot expect a significant breakthrough in the energy transition. It is important to eliminate the administrative burden and unfavorable conditions in engine replacement. The purchase of new fishing vessels must be permitted, and the intensity of support for energy transition must be increased. We believe that greater emphasis on these objectives should be placed in the support for the next programming period 28 to 34. Therefore, the MFF for 2834 must secure significantly higher allocated funding for CFB interventions. The current 62% reduction is insufficient to achieve the objectives. The CFB will not be able to compete with other priority areas within national plans. Given that the viability of national fisheries is directly dependent on CFP conditions, we must not forget that CFP support is also needed for other priorities, not only energy transition, it is high time to significantly reform the CFP, as current policy has led to exorbitant energy transition costs for EU fleet and the planet targets being difficult to achieve. Regarding the second issue, the fisheries and aquaculture alone will not be able to implement the financially costly energy transition.”
Funding for fisheries and aquaculture
- “Thank you Commissioner. Thank you president. Dear colleagues. Let me begin by thanking the presidency for this discussion. We share the deep concerns for the future of the EU's fisheries sector. Regrettably, we must express our disappointment with the Commission's proposed approach to include elements of the CFP and maritime policy into a single EU fund, alongside other policy areas. We cannot support this. Integrating these distinct sectors under one financial instrument with other resource intensive policies, poses a significant risk of insufficient resources being allocated for vital support programmes of the fisheries and maritime policies. We also believe that the administrative burden will increase. We firmly believe that the CFP must remain a separate targeted support policy dedicated to the sustainability of fisheries, aquaculture and other aquatic sectors. The CFP must have clearly earmarked allocations with the EU budget. The financial envelope should be at least equivalent to the current one. Only then can we meet the ambitions of the CFP and honour our commitments, including under initiatives like the Ocean Pact. We also urge the Commission to provide a clear timeline for the development of the CFP regulation. References to a future CFP already appear in published proposals, which suggests a new legal framework is being planned. This work should begin without delay. Finally, let me underline one more essential point. Alongside enhancing the competitiveness of the fisheries sector, it's important to develop coastal communities and areas. Support measures should cover broader development needs of these communities. Thank you.”
Funding for fisheries and aquaculture
- “Colleagues, I would like to underline the importance of ensuring consistency across different areas of EU legislation. As we move forward with transport decarbonisation, it's essential that climate, energy and industrial policies remain consistent and reinforced. On one other. Latvia welcomes the Commission's effort to introduce greater flexibility in the Co two performance standards for cars and vans. We support a pragmatic approach that maintains the overall trajectory toward climate neutrality, while also improving the competitiveness of European automotive sectors. In our view, the decarbonisation of transport should really not only on zero emissions vehicle technology but also renewable transport fuels with the lowest lifecycle greenhouse gas intensity. Latvia can support the proposal adjustment of 2035 target 90%. We are. So we are also open to considering the further adjustments, for example, to 80% provided that the remaining emissions can be compensated through the use of sustainable renewable fuels and low carbon materials in recycle productions. They encourage increasing the sailing for renewable fuel credits to at least half of the compensatable compensatable reduction, and avoiding additional sub limits for specific fuel categories. This would improve policy coherence with renewable energy objectives and better support Europe's competitiveness and energy transition. Finally, in the context of EU ongoing efforts to simplify legislation, we suggest considering the repeal of the directive on the Promotion of Clean vehicles. We think the requirement under the regulation would, in practice, already deliver the directive's objects and help to avoid overlap over overlapping and potentially inconsistent regulation frameworks. Thank you.”
2035 ICE phase-out: strict zero-emission target vs. flexibility for carmakers · Road transport environmental policy
- “Mr. [00:19:30] chairman, Commissioner. Colleagues, I'd like to thank the Polish delegation for including this item on our agenda for today. We can support the comments of the Polish delegation and the common. Uh 2040 climate objective. To our mind, is too ambitious and it cannot be reached. And it will also affect agricultural and lulucf sector. The current 2030 target is a major, already a major [00:20:00] challenge, in particular for agriculture and lulucf. And it will not be. We will not be able to achieve it without closing down farms, without eliminating jobs in agriculture and forestry. I would like to point out that now, when we are working on 2030 targets, issues related to access to finance have still not been solved. Therefore, when working on the next programming period, it is important to reflect on the availability of finance [00:20:30] to meet climate objectives. Latvia calls for coherence between EU food security and climate change policy objectives. Thank you.”
Agriculture (green)
- “Thank you. Dear presidency, Latvia welcomes the proposed regulation and its objective to enhance circularity in recycled design and end of the life cycle management. We support the extension of the regulation scope, as well as the measures aimed at improving the quality and increasing the reuse. Reuse of materials. Recovery from cycles. These steps are important for advancing the circular economy and reduction of environmental impact. As a constructive compromise, Latvia endorses the broad definition of post-consumer recycled plastic, regardless of whether its proceed with EU or in third countries if it meets high quality standards. It is essential for us that regulation remains fully aligned with World Trade Organization rules, while ensuring the quality of recycled materials. These contents Latvia can accept the latest proposal from the Polish presidency, allowing for a comprehensive evaluation with two years. We also support the gradual increase in the use of recycled plastic and recycled design, as proposed in the compromise solutions. However, we stress the importance of a realistic transition period to ensure material quality, availability and sufficient time for market adaptation adaptation. While we understand the rationale rationale behind using technical inspection of ownership transfer checkpoints to assess the recycle conditions, we are concerned that mandatory assessment during ownership change could impose an undue administrative burden on EU citizens and businesses. As a compromise, Latvia is prepared to support the general approach while emphasising the need of continued work at this provision in cooperation with the European Parliament. Thank you.”
Energy (green transition)
- “So I should like to thank our French colleagues for having brought up this topic. I think it would be extremely valuable if farmers could use their available arable land flexibly in the current conditions characterised by negative economic outlook and poor harvest, instead of removing a certain percentage of arable land. Therefore, we think the French proposal should be extended to include other member states and by a solidarity approach to apply the legal framework to everyone to all Member states. It is appropriate to provide in the regulation that in all areas of land left fallow and earmarked to ensure the 4% of Guy et first requirement, farmers could be granted permission to produce there. This is what [00:14:00] we are asking for and exactly what we have been asking so far. It has substance and this is very important for the farmers. Thank you.”
Agriculture (green)
- “Thank [00:09:00] you. We thank the Austrian colleagues for suggesting this item for discussion. We fully agree that agriculture is facing an unprecedented pressure. Currently, I support everything that is mentioned in the document on requirements of the Green Deal. It needs to be reasonable, realistically implementable. It is necessary to evaluate the impact of all these legislative acts on agriculture. As regards plant protection products, we need alternatives there. Secondly, we support Ukraine. It is a priority. We need to facilitate their export. [00:09:30] We have created also the Baltic Corridor that helps exporting products from Ukraine. We need information from the Commission on measures suggested by Ukraine. Thank you.”
Agricultural trade: Ukraine imports
- “Madam president, the presidency. Colleagues, I would like to thank the presidency for your determined efforts in finding solutions and compromises in order to reach a balanced outcome. The presidency has carefully listened to our concerns, and we appreciate the amendments made, [00:51:30] the concerning extensions of deadlines which are justified by national implementation programmes. We also sympathise with the Member States, which have welcomed additional flexibilities regarding the scope of the new requirements. Regarding articles nine, eight, nine and ten, Latvia in general can support the creation of extended producer responsibility system. However, neither Latvia nor other countries have previously established the EPR system in the field of wastewater management. We would like to get [00:52:00] more information regarding the implementation, financing and operation of such system. Therefore, we are looking forward to the exchange of information, experience and best practices to be organised by the Commission. We share the concerns of other Member States regarding the application of the EPR system to medicinal products for human use, and the possible impact on prices and accessibility of these products. We understand that Member States want extra flexibility here. In addition, we have serious [00:52:30] concerns about the amount of investments that will be necessary for the implementation of this directive without prejudging the next MFF post 2027. We must keep in mind the enormous future costs that will be needed to ensure that the infrastructure can fulfil the requirements of this directive.
[00:52:48] It is very important that the Commission considers national implementation programmes of the Member States when preparing the next Multiannual Financial Framework, as [00:53:00] indicated in recital 31. To conclude, we would like to draw your attention to the most crucial remaining issue, which is causing us great concerns. The current provisions in article 11 para two, stipulating that only a maximum of 30% of energy may be purchased from external sources. These provisions are very difficult for Latvia to accept. We have repeatedly expressed support to increase the energy efficiency of wastewater management sector and to the use of renewable [00:53:30] energy resources. However, we still believe that energy neutrality provisions regarding the energy to be produced by urban wastewater plant operators and energy to be purchased from external sources, these should be based on energy audits rather than a fixed percentage. We understand the importance of this proposal, which should guide the development of the wastewater management sector in the coming decades, and also in the spirit of compromise, we can accept presidency's proposal [00:54:00] and agree on the general approach. At the same time, please take note that we will issue a statement outlining our position and remaining concerns regarding energy neutrality provisions. We are looking forward to inclusive and constructive discussions in the Trilogues with the European Parliament. Thank you and good luck.”
Water pollution
- “Thank you. We agree with Germany. The regulation does not seem like simplification and it does not reduce administrative burden. We're talking about the digitalization and simplification. But instead of that we only have more burden for the authorities. The time that will be spent on weighing the fish will also impact the quality of the fishing products. It will be lost resources and these requirements are not adequate when it comes to small scale fishing. It is not this. It is not proportionate and a good use of resources. We would like to emphasize that this is the last time, last minute, where we can correct these issues while we're still discussing everything. We must avoid the situation where the requirements cannot be implemented. In practice, it will create risk for the whole sector, and the fishers might be in the end, not able to fulfil the requirements. The Commission has to act now. Thank you.”
Environmental regulation of fisheries
- “Thank you, Madame Chan. Also like to thank Bulgaria. We believe that the claim is justified. We also advocate that to absorb the rural development funding in these current conditions, 23 years period. We also voiced this demand before, and the topicality of this subject hasn't changed. The CFP funds are limited and even direct payments and persistent volatilities there in the sector, especially on our eastern border. And so it's important for member states not to lose a penny of the available funding. And also, I'd like to stress that to also thinking of the next, MFF, it's important because N plus 1 approach is there. Thank you.”
Agricultural funding
- “Colleagues, we appreciate the opportunity to talk about this vision today, which is a good basis for continuing to work on preparing legislation for agriculture and food, in particular, the Cap. The future policy must be simple, clear and easy for farmers to implement. We welcome the fact that agriculture and food production are recognised as strategically important sectors for the EU. It's very important to highlight that the work of farmers in producing healthy, high quality food and to provide public goods should not be Considered as a given. We are also happy with the scope of the vision, which covers various important aspects when it comes to developing the sector. We also wonder, though, if the drawing up of strategies and visions is really what's going to help us improve the situation. What we need to do is take action. So we feel that a lack of a direct link with financial resources and the necessary resources to implement the strategy is the main shortcoming here. The vision contains very ambitious plans, but without an adequate budget, which is distinct from the cap, we won't be able to implement the plans. And that is why after 2027, the Cap must continue as a strong, distinct European policy which has specific financing set aside for it under the MFF. The two pillars must receive enough financing in order to make sure that our major ambitions can be carried out. In order to answer the presidency's first question, let me say the following.”
Agricultural funding
- “Thank you. What matters? The coastal fishing sector is very important to us, as it is closely linked to the development and sustainability of life in our coastal regions. This is why we oppose excessive requirements for this sensitive low impact fleet segment, which are often disproportionate. It is clear that at the regulatory level, the administrative burden must be significantly reduced so that our fishermen can actually fish instead of thinking about complying with the myriad of requirements. Similarly, small scale coastal fishing requires public support that stimulates development. Unfortunately, the current MFF proposal for 2034 is absolutely insufficient for the sector to thrive and survive. We must make serious investments in increasing the added value of catches and in innovative solutions, as well as devote greater attention to addressing the long standing seal and cormorant problems, including promotion, promotion of popularity of fishing. Only in this way will we preserve coastal fisheries for future generations as a sustainable and viable sector. Thank you.”
Funding for fisheries and aquaculture
- “11:24 – 17:12:53): Dear colleagues, we appreciate the active work of the Cyprus presidency on the proposal for a military mobility regulation because effective EU military mobility in the current geopolitical context is an indispensable precondition for credible deterrence and for the protection of the whole of Europe. Given the strategic importance of the EU's eastern flank, military mobility is not only a theoretical measure of effectiveness, but it's a time critical defense capability for EU member states bordering Russia and Belarus. Latvia's geographical position makes our country an essential transit and host country for strengthening NATO and the EU. So the regulation must be both politically ambitious and properly implementable in practice. While it is the defense sector that is primarily responsible for this proposal, it is also essential to ensure strong involvement of transport sector in future work. It is of critical importance to ensure that the regulation establishes a workable framework that mitigates operational, legal and security risks. It should make sure that negative effects on civilian transport are minimized as far as possible. Transport safety is not compromised and independence of infrastructure managers is safeguarded, especially in, such member states as Latvia, which have different track gauges. I can also, support the presidency in all the 3 other items. Thank you.”
Relations with NATO
- “Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Madam Commissioner. Thank you to our Czech colleagues for initiating the discussion. Taking into account the geopolitical situation in Europe, Russia's war in Ukraine. This issue is really relevant. I'd like to indicate that Latvia acknowledges the harmful effects of lead on human health and the environment, and supports the EU efforts to reduce the impact of lead. But at the same time, I'd like to point out that this is not the right moment to radically change the production and supply opportunities of ammunition in the EU. As regards coastal fisheries, recreational fisheries and aquaculture and commercial fisheries, there are no alternatives at the moment. Such restrictions jeopardise the existence of the sector. We have to work on developing scientifically based alternatives materials to replace lead weights. This would be a good step to protect the environment, but this is more likely to create a rise in prices for fisheries tackle and fish and fisheries products. Therefore, I'd like to stress that Latvia supports and joins the Czech proposal. Thank you.”
Chemicals regulation
- “Thank you, Abba. Dear colleagues, firstly, let me thank the Swedish Presidency for the work and the great investment in the making of the proposal. We believe that this is a truly important and beneficial to have a harmonised EU framework for for obtaining and sharing data on short term rental services. As this form of accommodation becomes increasingly important part of the tourism industry also in Latvia. In this view, we can also express our support regarding the information scope which is required to register and will be with what we will be able to work in future. Latvia considers that the additional assignment of the compatibility of the proposal with the Digital Service Act is necessary. As already mentioned by other countries, Latvia has concerns about Article seven of the proposal and its obligations for online platforms, which are likely. The Digital Service Act does not provide exemptions for micro-enterprises and SMEs. Similarly, we would like to further review the proposal to put additional functions on the Digital Service Coordinators for monitoring platform that offer short term rentals, accommodation services as set out in Article 15. We doubt that useful usefulness of this requirements and consider that the choice of supervisory authority should be left to Member States. To sum up, I would like to emphasize that it is important. Firstly, level of harmonisation is appropriate and secondly, whatever changes we apply now, focus on improving the quality and exchange of statistical data. Thank you.”
Liability for online marketplaces
- “Yes. Dear colleagues, let me express once more my gratitude to the presidency for initiating this vital discussion and answering the first question. I would like to underline that priorities at both the EU and national levels should address the major health threats and most important burdens on the health sector. These are non-communicable diseases, including oncological diseases and vascular diseases. There are key risk factors that should be addressed, namely, tobacco and nicotine products as well as alcohol consumption can be prevented through targeted intervention. In Latvia, a study indicates that the direct and indirect cost of alcohol consumption to the national budget and the economy in 2023 were around 1.3 to 1.8% of GDP, accounting for 2.7% of total health care spending. These cost estimates indicate that investing directly in measures to prevent alcohol consumption and smoking initiation is cost effective, since the cost of addressing the consequences is higher than investing in prevention. I therefore call for a more proactive and targeted approach at both the EU level and nationally to continue implementing evidence based and cost effective measures recommended by the W.H.O. and the OECD. On the second question, I would like to emphasize the need for a more proactive and focused implementation of the initiatives set out in the policy Planning document adopted at the EU level, and the European Central Plan was already developed in 2022 and includes measures that the Commission has committed to implementing for reduction of both smoking and alcohol consumption.”
EU measures on lifestyle-related behaviours (smoking, drinking, eating, etc.)
- “I would like to thank our German colleague for timely bringing up this [00:17:00] matter. I fully agree with you and can confirm that Latvia will pay close attention to these issues. In these times of geopolitical uncertainty and socio economic challenges, it is important to bear in mind that culture is not only a sector, but also a vector for change, resilience and prosperity. Colleagues culture is helping to achieve the EU's green social and digital transformation goals. The cultural sector will be able to achieve these goals even more effectively if [00:17:30] EU support for culture is better tailored to its specific needs. To conclude, in the context of the UN Sustainable Development Goals, I call for the strengthening of the EU's common position on the inclusion of culture in the UN's summit of the future documents, including by considering the possibility of singling culture out as a separate development goal. Thank you.”
EU and national cultural identities
- “Dear ministers. Dear Commissioner. Let me just start with a small personal experience [00:28:30] to illustrate the resilience and adaptability of the cultural sector. When the Covid 19 crisis started, I was the curator of the Riga International Film Festival, and literally overnight we had to adapt to the restricted format. We had to transition overnight from a full audience filled cinema halls to alternatives that would meet the strict bans and distancing rules. This was extremely challenging, but our success again, again demonstrated that creative people are problem solvers in the most [00:29:00] efficient way, and this capacity should not be abused. Hence, I would like to use this opportunity to thank the Spanish Presidency for having included this topic on our agenda. Covid pandemic outlined social and economic challenges faced by those working in our sector, and I'm here today to share Latvia's responses and plans that have helped us to learn and thrive in order to combat efficiently labour market inequalities in creative professions. Latvia, [00:29:30] already back in 2018, adopted the law on the Status of Creative Persons and Professional Creative Organisations. This law defines the status of creators and professional creative organisations. It also outlines the respective support programme which provides for support for creators in the event of temporary absence of income during sick leave, and support for retired cultural workers to cover medical costs and electricity and heating payments. We are working [00:30:00] intensively to develop a social protection of those creative persons that have been employed under royalty schemes. We are trying to build uniform understanding that would be resilient towards future crisis, and therefore we need to review the EU level, the definitions of creative and cultural professionals. We also need to have comparative data to stimulate facilitated mobility [00:30:30] of creative professionals. It is necessary to assess whether there are obstacles to the cross-border recognition of cultural and creative skills, qualifications and diplomas. This is also relevant in the context of the professional pathway of artists fleeing Ukraine in the EU member states. Finally, I would like to express Latvia's support for a specific status of European artists by providing a common framework for the working conditions of workers in the cultural and creative sectors and setting minimum common [00:31:00] standards. Even though we are not fully aware of how AI can transform culture and its workers, one thing is clear this will happen. Therefore, the Multiannual Budget post 2027 must be designed so that we would empower artists to develop and develop, to develop their skills for a digital age while preserving the value of creativity. We must preserve this. We must preserve royalties. We must preserve [00:31:30] and stimulate contribution of artists for the diversity of European identity. In order to ensure well-being of cultural and creative workers, we must preserve what Europe has gone through hundreds of years. This is our diversity and creativity. Thank you.”
EU and national cultural identities
- “Uh, dear colleagues, Latvia continue to support the ambitious work programme to accelerate the progress on the market integration and supervision package. We are open to consider targeted changes to supervision of Europe's capital markets, where they would add value, promote market consolidation, and reduce Fragmentation. Latvia supports a proportionate approach that maintains a balance of power between national authorities and the ESM, which should focus primarily on promoting supervisory convergence. Any proposals for direct supervision at the European level should be carefully assessed in terms of proportionality and cost efficiency, and compared with alternative solutions such as stronger role for supervision supervisory colleges. While we see the merit in centralised supervision for certain significant cross-border entities, the supervision of smaller entities such as non significant crypto asset service providers should remain at national level for small and medium sized enterprises, proximity, decision making, speed and access to the local market remain crucial. Regarding significant criteria, we suggest defining significance based on volume and asset value rather than relying on group and governing law criteria as a stand alone condition for a European Union level. Significance. The role and involvement of national competent authorities in information sharing and decision making process should be clearly defined within SMEs governance framework. In conclusion, Latvia looks forward to continue discussions and support the ambition to make swift progress in both political and technical levels. Thank you.”
Financial regulation
- “Thank you. The last commissioner. Colleagues, I would. I agree this document is not perfect. But also I would like to thank the presidency for its efforts to find a balance and compromise for the amended European climate law, and this time is different than a few years ago. There was discussion of 2030 package. Yes, we made quite a lot of mistakes, but now we have experienced it. About the works. What works and what does not. But we are also in a different geopolitical and socio economic situation. In order to support the agreement that we must be confident that 2030 targets will be achievable. Latvia welcomes the latest texts and I would like to. We work a lot at home to get support for our side, and we agree there will be a lot of explanations to get for public support more in the future. We text edition, especially those that clarify the implementation pathway for 2030 climate targets. It's very positive for our side. The inclusion of robust review clauses is a prerequisite for agreement. It should provide a structural mechanism to revisit and adjust targets in light of the future development. Latvia values the sectoral flexibilities, which allow for different approaches across key sectors such as energy, land use and agriculture. This is especially especially important for small, smaller member states with specific sector profiles and economic constraints. The current geopolitical situation requires significant change in the national budget, expenditure expenditures, and socio economic development. The use of low cost source bioenergy contributing to energy security is an important element for energy transition. The land use land use change in the forest sector remains a central concern for Latvia. We need realistic lulucf targets. We believe that the includes paragraph of Lulucf will contribute to building a solid centenaries for effective carbon sink in long term. I hope we will find acceptable agreement on this important law today and we could take our responsibilities. Thank you.”
Energy (green transition)
- “Well thank you chairman. Commissioner. [00:32:30] We would like to thank the Commission for the proposals. We welcome the publication of the proposal on welfare of dogs and cats and their traceability. We are pleased that the EU will have harmonised requirements in this area. As for the new proposal for transport of animals, we hope that it will provide for a sufficiently clear and unambiguous legal framework without hampering the functioning of the EU's internal market. Latvia is skeptical, though, about the prohibition of long journeys. We believe that the use of introduction of new technologies, also clear and science based requirements and criteria, is the right solution to maintain this mode of transport for countries that are far away from their export markets. We are ready to start working on the examination of this proposal in the Council. Thank you.”
EU requirements on animal welfare for farmers
- “22:59 – 11:24:52): Chairman, thank you very much. Commissioner, colleagues, thank you for giving me the floor. Latvia welcomes reaching the partial general approach on the new justice program for 2028 to 2034, and we look forward to the swift adoption of the MFF at the level of the European Union while respecting the needs and geopolitical reality of the member states. I would like to especially thank my Lithuanian colleague, the esteemed Rita Tamasunie, and her team for bringing forward the updating of historical memory within the justice program as an indispensable part of the single EU area of freedom, security, and justice. Latvia fully agrees on the need to promote a common European historical memory and to prevent the falsification of historical facts that undermine the union area of justice. Our neighboring countries, Russia as well as Belarus, especially in the context of recent history, carried out a blatant distortion of historical facts. As an example, the most controversial date, if not in the world, then surely in the European history, the May 9, when some celebrate the Victory Day, some the Europe Day, whereas in the case of the Baltic states, the 05/09/1945 marks the start of the occupation by the Soviet Union that lasted nearly 50 years. Does the history, go in circles? Is it cyclical? In my view, history will not repeat itself if we will work towards freedom, security, and justice, and respect of rights of all people. Thank you. Safariso?”
EU political integration
- “Thank you, Mr. President. We strongly support the presidency's approach and ambition to accelerate the Council's work on the market integration and supervision package. This will allow for decisive and balanced progress, while maintaining momentum and ensuring that sufficient time is devoted to comprehensive technical discussions. Given the extensive in and interconnected nature of this issue Within the package, we emphasize the importance to focus on those areas and provisions where the targeted adjustments can deliver the most meaningful impact on the proposal's overall objective. We have to create a true single market. We see clear benefits from measures that boost innovations and facilitates the use of DLT solutions, and ensure consistent applications of single rule book, promote supervisory convergence and are in line with simplification, costs and burden reduction agenda. At the same time, further discussions and clarifications are needed to ensure a balanced approach on the supervisory architecture, the governance and resources of the European Securities and Markets Authority and the division of competences between asthma and national competent authorities. When streamlining the European trading venue provisions, it is important to ensure that small and medium sized enterprises can access local financial markets. In conclusion, Latvia shares the ambition to make swift progress on both political and technical level. Thank you very much.”
EU Single Market harmonisation
- “(10:47:15 – 10:47:56): You, president. Thank you for giving me the floor. Commissioner colleagues, it's the 1st time I'm participating in a council, so I would like to recall that we have a our work is based on a common responsibility, which is to guarantee effective respect of children's rights throughout the European Union beyond technical and legal considerations, we have to bear and always keep in our minds the fundamental objective. We must always ensure that the child's well-being is the is the overriding in, compass for us. And I would now like to change to Latvian.”
EU policy on victims' compensation rights
- “Thank [00:25:00] you. And we thank the Commission for the draft regulation. The new genomic techniques globally are on the rise. We can safely assume that in the future there will be more and more products that are created by using this method. Actually, this these methods are the future of agriculture and food industry. We're speaking about real benefits, plants that are more disease resistant plants with higher nutritional value and less susceptible to [00:25:30] the environmental and climate change. Now, plants cultivated by using such methods could also significantly contribute towards the Green Deal with their cultivation will be more efficient, reducing the use of PCBs as well as water and fertilizers. And simultaneously it will ensure food security for the ever growing population. So naturally that in view of these considerations, the EU cannot sit this one out and we need our own appropriate regulation. It's a matter of our competitiveness, especially now that some of [00:26:00] our trade partners already are using these techniques and products. Having said that, we also need to be mindful of the risks. We need to be absolutely certain that the plants produced with those methods pose no threat to the environment, ecosystems and human health. And to be 100% certain that the best approach would be the principle of precaution by individually assessing each newly created plant. We will be able to fully prevent the possible risks. In conclusion, the draft regulation [00:26:30] is quite complex and will require the expert involvement and after that, also at the ministerial level. We are ready for more in-depth discussions here. Thank you.”
New Genomic Techniques
- “Thank you. We agree with Germany. The regulation does not seem like simplification and it does not reduce administrative burden. We're talking about the digitalization and simplification. But instead of that we only have more burden for the authorities. The time that will be spent on weighing the fish will also impact the quality of the fishing products. It will be lost resources and these requirements are not adequate when it comes to small scale fishing. It is not this. It is not proportionate and a good use of resources. We would like to emphasize that this is the last time, last minute, where we can correct these issues while we're still discussing everything. We must avoid the situation where the requirements cannot be implemented. In practice, it will create risk for the whole sector, and the fishers might be in the end, not able to fulfil the requirements. The Commission has to act now. Thank you.”
Environmental regulation of fisheries
- “Colleagues, first of all, I'd like to welcome the new commission and congratulate them on their new work. I wish you resilience. I will be brief. I'd like to stress that Latvia fully supports the new recommendation and believes that it's sorely needed. Taking into account the account negative trends as regards smoking of the tobacco products and using electronic vaping devices. These problems can be seen not only in Latvia but in the whole EU. I'd like to remind everybody who might question the need for this recommendation that every person has the right to health and to live in clean air and unpolluted environment. Therefore, we believe that it's necessary to act at the EU level to protect the rights of non-smokers, especially vulnerable groups whose health might be endangered. But they are particularly supports extending the recommendation to include restrictions not only on tobacco smoke, but also on vapes coming from heated tobacco and electronic cigarettes. We are proud of our tobacco restriction policy, and we are ready to continue work to protect society from the negative impact of these addictive products. Thank you.”
Smoking regulation
- “President. Thank you for giving me the floor. Commissioner colleagues, it's the 1st time I'm participating in a council, so I would like to recall that we have a our work is based on a common responsibility, which is to guarantee effective respect of children's rights throughout the European Union beyond technical and legal considerations, we have to bear and always keep in our minds the fundamental objective. We must always ensure that the child's well-being is the is the overriding in, compass for us. And I would now like to change to Latvian.”
EU engagement with youth
- “Thank you, Madam Chair. Dear colleagues, Commissioner Latvia appreciates the proposal of the Commission on the recast. It is really in line with the Green Deal. As regards the ambition level, Latvian principle agrees that it is necessary to reduce pollution from the sources currently not covered by the directive agglomerations, collecting systems, overflows, emerging pollutants and individual systems. At the same time, we are concerned that meeting of the new requirements will demand much larger costs than indicated in the impact assessment. That especially concerns extension of the scope to smaller agglomerations and the requirements to collect all domestic wastewaters centrally to reduce collecting systems, overflows and rainwater management, as well as more stringent requirements for nitrogen and phosphorus removal. Therefore, it will be necessary to include national and municipal long term development development measures in the plans, and it will be not possible to meet these new requirements within the timeline foreseen by this proposal. We should take also into account the differences between the climatic, geographic and socio economic situations in different Member States. Therefore, we believe that risk assessment should be provided even even wider also for the solutions regarding this particular directive in sport. In um, it is necessary to um illustrate more clearly the mechanisms, management and scope of the new system. Also, for the creation of a quaternary system and the require it will be difficult to meet the timelines. As regards energy efficiency and energy audits, we are positively inclined towards that, but we are concerned that energy neutrality targets will not be reachable. Therefore, Latvia does not support the target for the large wastewater treatment plants. To be able to produce 100% of energy they need by themselves. That is not realistic in Latvian climatic circumstances. And finally, uh, thank you for this exchange of views. Thank you.”
Water pollution
- “54:32 – 17:56:15): Dear colleagues, Latvia thinks that ETS and Corsia mechanisms are essential tools to facilitate the decarbonization of the aviation sector. At the same time, we would like to highlight the specific geographic and current geopolitical situation of the Baltic States.
For our region, aviation is not only a matter of economic development, but also a question of mobility, connectivity, and security. Following Russia's full scale invasion of Ukraine, the air connectivity of the Baltic States with Europe has become more complicated due to the closure of airspaces of Russia, Belarus and Ukraine and due to increased safety requirements, route extensions and higher operating costs.
In addition to that, the aviation sector is negatively affected by rising fuel prices following the escalation of conflict in The Middle East. As a result, many airlines are already canceling connections with the Baltics or at least they are reducing the frequency of flights.
In such circumstances, additional costs resulting from ETS may disproportionately affect peripheral and geopolitically sensitive areas. Therefore, Latvia calls for the following courses of action. 1st, to continue working on the harmonization of ETS and CORSIA in order to minimize distortions and preserve the competitiveness of European industry.
2nd, provide targeted and temporary support mechanisms for the EU's external border and peripheral regions to ensure the connectivity is maintained and at the same time, policy objectives are, pursued. Thank you for attention.”
Extension of the EU Emissions Trading Scheme · Decarbonisation of aviation sector
- “In practice, it duplicates mechanisms that already exist in response to the second question. Under the proposed financing financing system, this will only partially protect Cap funding. It will be impossible to clearly foresee ability to achieve Caps objectives. Implementation of all Caps measures on maintenance of the conditions for the level playing field. The Cap proposal sets ambitious goals, but there is no corresponding budget for countries with a small cap financial envelope such as Latvia. Under the current conditions, even at the minimum average debit rate, 61% of the Ringfenced budget would have to be devoted solely to Derby's support. This would significantly reduce the funds available for other Cup interventions. On the one hand, it's possible that there is no longer mandatory ring fencing for member states regarding Cup environmental and climate targets, but instead a common 43% target for the national reform plan. This gives flexibility. However, there are concerns about maintaining a level playing field for competition. It's not clear how the commission intends to determine each member state's contribution to the environmental and climate target. The co-financing conditions also pose additional risks to maintaining equal competitive conditions. Taking all this into account, we view critically the Cap's planned broad list of mandatory measures and requirements to be implemented. We believe that, as before, member states must retain flexibility to choose the support measures that best fit their national circumstances. And finally, I would like to emphasise that we are critical of the proposed mandatory nature of Cap recommendations. They should remain recommendations as before.”
Agricultural funding
- “I also believe it is necessary to ensure a consistency between the Cap and the recommendations of the European Semester, avoiding duplication and guaranteeing consistency. Unfortunately, we are not convinced that the Scip recommendations will be sufficient tool to help us nationally secure the necessary resources from the Non-distributed funds to the plan, such as rural development and food processing, in competition with other policies. Rural areas should also be strengthened in the framework of the six priority. As regards the third question, the timeframe is confusing in that regard. On the other hand, we appreciate timely work on the preparation of recommendations. On the other hand, also, there are still too many unknowns pending agreement on the substance and financial aspects of the MFF. The recommendation should therefore only be approved after the final decisions on Multiannual Financial Framework, which can have a significant impact on the outcome. We look forward to the first discussion with the Commission on the recommendations. We expect structured involvement of Member States throughout the process, and we are open to the consecutive dialogue. We, um, we support The specific conditions of the Cap and the CFB must be quantitatively discussed and designed in line with the objectives of the policies. Furthermore, the transfer of articles should take place in a more comprehensible and transparent manner. Thank you.”
Agricultural funding
- “The ministers. Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, we congratulate the Danish presidency on the progress achieved on the framework program text. And we thank the Cyprus presidency for organizing this timely debate on the remaining critical issues of Fp10. The main issue remaining for the partial general approach concerns pillar two and the Interlinkages to the European Competitiveness Fund. We fear that the existing setup provides too much flexibility to reallocate the collaborative, fundamental research budget to applied research and deployment activities. Researchers also need predictability for which research areas will be funded for the next few years. The Strategic Direction Forward should be co-created between the European Commission and the Member States, and the solution must contain these elements. Programme committees need to be composed of experts with a background in research funding. The budget for low technology readiness level research must be ring fenced, and safeguards are needed to prevent pillar two from being used as a so-called piggy bank for implementing other EU policy priorities. The Spanish proposal of splitting the work programmes could be a way forward. We are also open to exploring other solutions provided they address our underlying concerns regarding other issues requiring political guidance. We support an ambitious widening participation instrument which will contribute to closing the research and innovation gap in Europe. We support allowing dual use research across the framework programme, as well as the funding of defence projects under the European Innovation Council, and the primary beneficiaries of simplification should be applicants, not the European Commission. We would like to see a reduction of the number of partnerships by introducing a quantitative cap in the regulation, and we should also expand the use of lump sum funding. Thank you.”
Research priorities within the EU
- “Sorry. Thank you. Stephanie. Dear colleagues, I would like to express my gratitude for the Danish presidency for this dedicated work as well as to the previous ones, for their efforts in moving the negotiations forward. The negotiations on this proposal have taken several years. However, this time was necessary to strike a reasonable balance between environmental objectives and economic realities, as well as between the needs of our people and industries and the requirements of public revenue. In Latvia, we apply limited tax exemptions to energy products and electricity. Therefore, the issue of rates and exemptions, together with the proposal approaches to future challenges and harmonisation has been particularly sensitive for us. We welcome the constructive support during the negotiations on the compromise proposal, particularly in shaping appropriate solutions for biomass. At the same time, it may be worth recalling that during the negotiations, Latvia expressed concerns about exemptions on certain products, as well as about the mechanism for the automatic indexation of the minimum level of rates. We acknowledge that the latest compromise proposal represents an effort to address Latvia's concerns regarding indexation mechanism, alongside the diverse concerns raised by other member states. Allow me to briefly recall the Latvia expressed concerns about potential impact on consumers in 20, 38 and years to come. The indexation mechanism may have a significant impact on member states, particularly when its economic situation prevents rates from being raised above the minimum levels. Concerns have been further amplified by the implications of EST, ST2 regulation and unpredictable future, as we need to approach the conclusion of our work in the spirit of compromise. Latvia supports the latest compromise text. Thank you.”
Priorities of taxation policy in the EU
- “Thank you. Chair. Latvia recognizes the rapid growth of e-commerce and e-commerce introduces new risks and supervisory challenges, particularly in monitoring individual shipments, which can be resource intensive and inefficient. We believe that solutions must be effective, risk based, and leverage leverage digital tools, including automated checks, enhanced laboratory capacities, and rapid testing methods to ensure safe and informed use of e-commerce. We need targeted measures to strengthen staff expertise, enhance digital skills and educate consumers. Latvia considers that the current EU regulatory framework, including the DSA and the Market Surveillance, Regulation and General Product Safety Regulation, is sufficient if fully applied. Any new legislation should only be developed after thorough impact assessment to avoid overregulation and to maintain the EU competitiveness in a global market. Thank you.”
Liability for online marketplaces
- “Dear colleagues, as speakers before me, I would like to thank the presidency for introducing the discussion about the critical intersections of energy policy and economic growth. In today's agenda overall, Latvia welcomes the report of Professor Draghi that, among other things, addresses Europe's energy challenges and their implications for competitiveness. We agree with those who sees this report as a call for action and not as an excuse to slow down. We are also currently working on our National Energy Strategy for 2050, and I am delighted to see many elements of it reflected in the report as well. One of them being the connection between energy and competitiveness. I am convinced that by prioritising energy efficiency and investing in renewable sources, we strongly enhance our overall economic resilience. A robust, renewable oriented energy framework is not just a tool to reach our climate target, but it is a cornerstone of a competitive, autonomous and prosperous future for Europe. The EU's competitiveness is driven by its energy grid infrastructure. Currently, when it comes to access to grids, EU, with all its challenges, still holds advantage over both USA and China. I strongly believe that we need to work on strengthening our competitiveness in areas where we already have natural advantages, and in this case, I would mean developing even more stronger grids. The report aptly underscores the pivotal role of strengthening our Greek capacity. Without robust grids and interconnections, fully realizing the potential of renewable energy will prove challenging. Therefore, it is essential to create favourable conditions for the development of cross-border infrastructure. Our primary concern lies in equitable sharing of costs associated with the new interconnection projects. A fair distribution of costs and benefits is paramount for the success of future policy. Frameworks must consider the unique circumstances of member states where production potential exceeds national consumption, particularly those situated at the border of European electricity grid. One of the questions you raised concerns financing. It is important to have more active involvement of member States and European Union in adopting measures that would facilitate availability of capital for investments to different market participants. Additionally, to ensure clear price signals for continuous investment in energy facilities, it is important to be mindful of instruments that distort the functioning of the wholesale market. For example, subsidies delivered with feed in tariffs. Instead, a more inclusive use of long term contracts, state guaranteed if necessary, would provide much needed certainty in the market. Finally, it is worth noting that reports omit several significant elements, including the crucial role of energy efficiency in enhancing competitiveness as well as the role of heating sector. I think these two elements must be taken into account while working on future initiatives, and should not be overlooked when developing a comprehensive strategy to enhance the EU's competitiveness in global markets. Thank you.”
Energy (green transition)
- “Thank you. Marcus. Latvia welcomes the objective of the supplementary pension package. Both the commission recommendations and the legislative changes. This is an opportunity to channel more savings into productive long term investments. Our national framework already broadly complies with the recommendations. We are continuing to improve pension tracking systems and pension dashboards. New pension products and strengthened prudent person principle could facilitate sustainability of pension systems in the face of demographic change. When it comes to amendment of European Union legislative acts, we welcome the objectives to increase competition, improve the availability and returns of pension products that provide value for money. At the same time, when discussing issues of direct taxation, the legislative procedure under which the Council adopts decisions unanimously must be respected. Thank you.”
EU policy on aging workforce and pensions
- “Thank you. Chair. Dear colleagues, uh, Latvia as an open economy which is deeply integrated in the EU value chains, we support the Clean Industrial Deal emergency plans as coordinated and timely framework for steel, metals, chemical and automotive sectors and of course, emphasizing administrative simplification and regulatory clarity as, uh, I would say these are the low hanging fruits that should be picked and will be beneficial for everyone. Uh, the single biggest horizontal, uh, condition is accessible, accessible, predictable, and clean energy. Uh, thus, it means we have to have investments in the grid capacity, energy efficiency, and mechanisms to reduce energy price volatility. As many of you already stated, uh, we also need particular pathways for SMEs to plug into the large scale European industrial value chains through simpler access to the instruments and now on the specific industrial sector, starting with the steel and metal. We support the reinforcement, the clarity pillar with better, uh, collection, sorting and recycling of the scrap, because of course, in every industrial, uh uh, complex, the raw materials are playing a major key role in chemicals and automotive sectors. We support clear transition pathway to low carbon hydrogen, carbon capture and utilization, uh, bio based solutions, and of course, strengthening, strengthening the battery value chains, uh, and cross-border testing corridors. On automotive, we highlight the promotion of the EU produced zero emission vehicles and support for the infrastructure. Enabling connected and autonomous mobility and focus should be on the supply and infrastructure side of the automotive sectors, not as much as on the demand side. Uh, finally, on the objectives of the Critical Raw Materials Act, we support a stronger security of supply, of critical raw materials and, of course, technological neutrality. Uh, after hearing all the discussions, in my opinion, there are a couple of things that should be addressed as well. And one of them is, uh, we sometimes say, uh, here, that we are basically lacking a balanced consumer acceptance for the policies that leads us into these situations. Uh, I will stop at that. Thank you.”
Energy (green transition) · Sourcing of critical raw materials
- “34:20 – 17:35:56): Colleagues, as 1 of the co submitters of the document, Latvia thanks Lithuania for initiative and would like to draw your attention to the threat posed by drones to civil transport infrastructure and operations of The U EU NATO eastern border. We are confronted with an increase, and we had also threats today. And I would like to, thank French, pilots, military pilots who intercepted 1 of the drone, which posed the military threat. It the drones directly consider are are described in the non paper. We believe that the Eastern Flank surveillance initiative needs to be accelerated.
In addition to the Latvian side in cooperation with the military defense, we would like to draw attention to the European Commission's drone and counter drone system priority capability initiative. We considered this to be an important issue for the whole EU security system. We have created a military training ground in Latvia, which will help to test unmanned systems for the whole EU security.”
Cybersecurity investments for critical infrastructure
- “12:18 – 10:13:51): colleagues, we would like to thank the presidency for their efforts and drafting of the general approach on the proposal for the European business wallet regulation. The proposal is an important step in the development of the digital single market in the European Union.
This will promote the digitalization of businesses, reduce administrative burdens, and facilitate cross border interaction. We welcome the retention of the member states' competence in the areas of administrative procedures, legal representation, and national registers in the compromise text.
This will ensure the interoperability of the European business wallet with existing digital solutions. The European Business Wallet will not replace systems, but complement them by providing uniform trusted frameworks.
At the same time, we stress the need to ensure realistic implementation deadlines and proportionate administrative burdens. It is particularly important to ensure that the rollout of the European business wallet builds on existing national and European Union digital infrastructures. This will prevent creation of parallel solutions.
Lat Latvia support the president's compromise text and the approval of the council's general approach. Thank you.”
Electronic identity
- “50:20 – 10:51:35): The colleagues, Latvia would like to thank the Cyprus presidency for its work on the evaluation of the proposal, and we would like to thank the commission for its explanation and answers to the questions from the member states. We support the objectives of the regulation, but we also stresses the need to preserve the discretion of the member states, especially in the matters of security, resilience, and crisis management.
Framework should ensure certainty and proportionality, maintaining national competence in the management of radio spectrum. Under the Irish presidency, further work is needed on the assessment of unrestricted rights to use the radio spectrum. We need to further, simplify the single passport proposal and only to think about the feasibility of the copper switch off proposal.
Operators should not be prevented from recovering the investments in the infrastructure that is already capable of delivering data transmission rates in line with digital decade objectives. Latvia stands ready to work constructively on these and other elements so we could reach such conditions in the telecom single market that strengthen competition and network resilience that foster innovation and investment in infrastructure while maintaining high quality services for consumers at an affordable price. Thank you.”
5G
- “Thank you. Dear Commissioner, dear colleagues, before going into the discussion of the possible 2040 targets, let me say that the work on the implementation of the 2030 package is still ongoing and it still is challenging. The road towards the net zero has to maintain Europe's global competitiveness and ensure a ensure just and fair transition for its citizens. We all have different socio economic realities, emission structures and challenges in our countries. Let's take industrial carbon removals as an example. It is impossible to reach the industrial transition without them. However, due to the specific situation linked to countries geological as a share of its ETS sector, as well as affordability and the maturity of these technologies, not all member states will be able to fully make use of them. When thinking about the legislative frameworks to implement 2040 target, we would like to keep it simple. It should provide our EU level instruments and leave enough flexibility for Member States in our views. The main focus has to be on greenhouse gas emission reduction. We are cautious regarding the introduction of several subtargets as their implementation increases the administrative burden and may complicate the task. Given the importance of 24 to target, we are convinced that the that the decision about it has to be taken at the highest political level in the European Council. Fiscal and investment policies are key factors for enabling transition towards climate neutrality. We have to take that in mind while discussion to the next EU Multiannual Financial framework after 2027. Now turning the demand side measures. Latvia sees potential in their contribution to the achievement of the climate goals. Without appropriate awareness raising and education activeness of society, there can be a shift to more sustainable lifestyle including consumptions, conceptions and mobility. Economic tools like green budgeting and taxation can provide the right motivation for change of habits and reduced costs of transitions to promote the change. We cannot underestimate the role of public sector. It has to set an example for the rest of society. Green public procurement is a powerful tool, and it should be extended to encompass a large number of products and services. Also, innovation and circular economy measures can reduce the use of primary resource and cut emissions. Thank you.”
Climate efforts
- “Thank you. In this geopolitical context, it is important to strengthen trade with reliable partners. We welcome the Commission's action in this area, which creates export potential for our producers and address challenges linked to the resource availability. Trade agreements must protect the interests of our producers, especially in sensitive sectors such as grain, beef, pork and poultry. At the same time, effective mechanisms must be available to counteract the negative effects of increased imports and ensure a level playing field. It is important to align production standards with the EU, but financial support must be available if EU farmers suffer losses as a result of the agreement. Agriculture and food production must not be must not suffer from benefits achieved in other sectors. Thank you.”
Free trade agreements (FTAs)
- “Thank you. Chair. Dear colleagues. Um, I would like to start with the notion, uh, to make the European Competitiveness Fund a success where investments can reach all member states in all regions of the European Union. It must have, uh, this will be a bit controversial comparison. Funding is like a blood flow for body, and we must not limit it for all of the body parts, because all of these times when it has been done, we can see the results in economic growth, in, uh, equality between the member states. And this should remain as one of the principles for the companies, success means simple and timely access to investments of the European Competitiveness Fund, and we should not put many middlemen in it as task forces, organizations, agencies. This mistake has been done before because if we put too many hoops and too many processes, it will deplete the financing that is needed for the business. Now, more crucially, in the current state of geopolitics and competitiveness, I would say the winter time has come. Global economic processes have changed and we must react accordingly to it. For us, the eastern border, border region. There is a clear and urgent need for investment in resilience and border security, dual use technology, clean transition and industry, industrial decarbonisation, strengthening the digital leadership as well as health, biotechnology, agriculture and bioeconomy. All of these sectors are crucial for our autonomy for keeping safe the greatest economic instrument we all have our single market. We suggest earmarking a share of ECF resources for regions and member states facing the largest investment shortfalls. So the convergence is visibly accelerated across the Union. Finally, I would like to conclude with one of the fundamental principles of the European Union, and it is solidarity. Thank you.”
Energy (green transition)
- “Thank you. Chair of the Commission. Dear colleagues, allow me to start by stating regulatory simplification is a top priority. With that being said, we welcome the first simplification omnibus package and we believe that sustainability reporting and taxonomy regulation must be simplified to ensure the fairness of the regulation. As we cannot allow to due diligence, the burden of reporting go down to the mvas or small and medium Businesses. The omnibus method must deliver a real impact and we support targeted amendments. But stress test is must have to critically evaluate all legislation that can be repaired by amendments. But let's aim further and higher consolidation of regulations and legislations, and maybe cancel. Cancellation should be an option as well. And it must mustn't be taboo in our discussions. And we must remember that today there should be another added dimension, a pillar and its security. With this pillar. True. Uh, through this pillar, we must look at all of the legislative acts considering, like state aid support and look at the reporting is considered there because we need swift action, we need faster results, and we have to have that. The regulation works, the legislation works. Results should come not only with time and speed that we gain from, uh, lowering the burden administrative burden, but it should come as well with cost cutting effects to everyone involved, member States commission, and most importantly, our businesses. Similarly, uh, achieving the European Green Deal's objectives should not come at the expense of economic competitiveness. And we also support that administrative burden should be lowered by 25% and 35% for SMEs, because they are the backbone of the European economy, small and medium enterprises. So let's work together to build a sustainable and competitive Europe, one that supports businesses while achieving our shared competitiveness and shared major goals. Thank you.”
Energy (green transition)
- “Thank you very much. Dear colleagues, let me, I would like to thank the European Commission for drafting the midterm review of the eighth Environment action programme. We also highly appreciate the work done by the Belgian presidency. Preparing the draught council conclusions and finding a delicate compromise. In general, Latvia supports council conclusions and their adoption at the same time. Latvia would like to point out that while progressing towards climate resilience and improvement of the environment, it's important to focus on the implementation of the adapted legal acts. The EU Environment Action Programme plays a significant role not only in facilitating the EU environment and climate policy, but also in ensuring just and inclusive transition. A just transition helps strengthen the economic resilience of the eu, create high quality green jobs, and ensure the competitiveness of the European agriculture. In conclusion, we would like to reiterate our support for the Lithuanian proposal regarding condemnation of the Russian aggression war in Ukraine. Thank you.”
Climate efforts
- “Colleagues. In the age of AI, it is important to preserve the value of creativity, to protect copyright, and to acknowledge the contribution of the artist to the well-being of society and to European identity. Our awareness of the impact of AI on society and the world is gradually evolving, as evidenced by the prominent European achievement, namely the adoption of the AI act at national level. [00:21:30] One of the priorities in the context of AI is the preservation of the Latvian language as a treasure. Given that AI can have a negative impact on multilingualism in the digital environment, not only at the European level but also globally. Therefore, in the field of CS, Latvia has sought to develop machine translation and language technologies, including the development of an AI based, multilingual and multi-channel public sector communication platform, and [00:22:00] to develop infrastructure and services in the field of digital humanities. In April, the government conceptually supported the creation of the National Centre for Artificial Intelligence. Cultural institutions should be involved in the work of the centre, as they can help adapt AI technologies to working with the Latvian language. It is important to ensure a balanced and responsible creation of data sets, both for training AI and for labeling content produced by AI. The [00:22:30] National Library of Latvia could therefore serve as an AI data repository and the developer of a data analysis tools also in the cultural and creative sector, taking into account its experience and capacity in the field of digital humanities and digital resource development. In the case of this information, cultural institutions can play a crucial and important role in enhancing the credibility of AI generated content by being able to [00:23:00] train AI tools with primary sources of information, namely documents held in libraries, archives and museums. I do agree that AI skills are the cornerstone of future development. That's why we plan to work together with our entire culture education sector, both professional and higher and continuing education, to ensure that not only young professionals, but also those already working in the sector, have the necessary skills and training. To conclude, [00:23:30] let we believe that it is essential for EU policy in this, and especially in the next programming period, to pay increased attention to issues related to the opportunities for cultural and creative sector to fully use the potential of AI technologies in order to improve the skills of those working in the sector, as well as to minimise the risks posed by AI. Thank you.”
EU and national cultural identities
- “Thank you. Chair. Commissioner. Colleagues. We would like to thank our German colleagues for the proposal. We believe that any action in support of disadvantaged persons is welcome. And for that reason, we have joined Germany's proposal and document. In addition, the introduction of such definition into the EU a key could help reach Sustainable Development goals and reduce food waste, which would be a positive outcome. Thank you.”
Food waste
- “49:25 – 14:52:58): Thanks a lot, Marlene, dear colleagues. So first of all, let me start with echoing the joint declaration of the 16 countries, friends of cohesion presented by Oana. Latvia fully subscribes to it. If we want to see more competitive, prosperous, stronger, and safer Europe, we need to match our political ambition adapted to a new geopolitical reality.
Secondly, I also want to echo nonpaper on the rule of law and charter of fundamental rights presented by Jessica. Latvia also fully supports it and subscribes as well. We believe that our fundamental values should be protected at all costs.
And lastly, dear Belinth, please excuse me for the result in the ice hockey World Cup game that just finished. 8 1 is too harsh, and next time, we'll try to implement solidarity and balanced approach in line with our beloved European values. I I'll try to do my best to support you on that.
But as for the single market, Latvia supports the objectives of 1 Europe and 1 market road map. We believe that strong and fully functioning single market is essential for Europe's competitiveness, resilience, and global role. And already 2 years ago, the Latin Draghi reports clearly exposed to structural problems that we have in a single market that undermines, our competitiveness.
And, those projects who enhance competitiveness must be designed to deliver tangible results across the union, supported by sufficient funding to ensure broad and shared impact. And, therefore, the we believe that the next MFF should address the structural barriers that still exists, that still limits the full potential of the single market.
And we believe that, those central pillars of the next MFF should remain strong and predictable cohesion policy, fair conditions for our farmers, and also strategic connectivity through the connecting Europe facility. These are the elements how we can reduce connectivity gaps, how we can improve capacity of our investments and address, economic convergence.
And, our eastern border regions are in particular situation, of course, now since the Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine, we had to significantly increase our investments in defense capabilities, first of all, but also to strengthen protection of European external border at the expense of productive investments in economic growth, competitiveness, and welfare.
And, we already discussed the recent drone incidents, hybrid pressure on, the eastern flank of European Union, and, these, situations only reinforce the need to treat European Eastern border as a strategic priority for MFF. This requires sustained support for socioeconomic convergence, connectivity, military mobility, defense related investments.
And we also believe that future competitiveness must be inclusive. As we reduce our strategic dependencies globally outside Europe, we must avoid creating new internal dependencies and new barriers within a single market as was perfectly explained by Benjamin and few other colleagues who intervened on that. We fully agree.
And we believe that competitiveness fund, European value change must, mobilize the potential of all member states, including SMEs, including smaller economies, including those regions which are outside traditional growth centers.
And lastly, our message is clear that, single market should be strengthened by making it not only more competitive, but also more connected, more balanced in between the regions, and more resilient, to, threats outside the borders, including on our eastern border. Thank you.”
EU industrial funding (mechanism level: EU-pooled vs nationally-financed) · EU Single Market harmonisation
- “Thank you, Chair, dear colleagues. Latvia considers that the proposal of 2018 regime can strengthen the EU internal market and global competitiveness by reducing the regulatory fragmentation and lowering the cost of cross border businesses. I think this is 1 of the questions we have talked so much about how to create a system where all of our different legal systems can combine and work.
Firstly, I would like to say, I can see that the discussion has moved on in more technical proceedings. So the big questions are answered already. And I can see that the member state needs has been taken note already regarding their freedoms and all of our rights that are given to us by the European Union.
So into the details that Latvia considers that the most essential elements for the proposals overall all accomplishments are those that deliver clear practical benefits to companies, notably the ONCE principles, standardized and digitalized registration procedures, simplified corporate governance tools and streamlined liquidation of solvent companies.
At the same time, the framework must go further to ensure sufficient harmonization, legal clarity and avoiding risks of abuse so that the regime shouldn't become a legal loophole, but must comply with the overall regulation in the member states regarding workers' rights, money laundering, etcetera.
And I would like to say 1 thing, commissioner Magra, best wishes on further work. I think we have had a quite a milestone past. Now the technical discussions, and I hope we will see the regime in real life soon. Thank you.”
Overall simplification of regulation in the EU
- “Thank you. Dear colleagues, sustainable biofuels are very important for achieving the EU's climate and energy goals. However, it is essential to ensure fair, competitive and prevent fraud. Fraud not only undermines our climate ambitions but also erodes public trust. European biofuels producers must be able to operate in a market. The rules are clear and applied equally to all. The call and the European Commission to protect the EU market from unfair imports that do not meet our standards. Stronger union level oversight of certification system is needed. It will ensure that they are reliable, transparent and credible. Fair trade must go hand in hand with environmental responsibility. That we fully support the initiative presented by Austria and like minded. Thank you.”
"Buy European" provisions
- “Dear ministers, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, we thank the Polish Presidency for organising a debate on the lessons learned from the Horizon Europe mid-term evaluation with a look towards Fp10. To answer your first question, Latvia agrees with many of the findings of the interim evaluation, notably that the Framework Programme provides a strong return on investment and contribution to addressing societal challenges. In particular, collaborative research has proven its value as the cornerstone of EU research and innovation policy and must be continued in the next seven year period. The report notes that the research and innovation gap in Europe remains persistent, as does the disparity in participation amongst member states in Horizon Europe. Therefore, looking forward, we must strengthen the Widening Participation instrument and ensure the continuation of dedicated measures aimed at reducing the gap in Europe. The report highlights several shortcomings of the Horizon Europe missions, including an overly complex and burdensome governance structure and the lack of coherence with European partnerships, which must be improved. Adequate ring fencing must be ensured insured for research and innovation funding, and the missions have not set a good precedent in this regard. To answer your second question on encouraging small and medium enterprise participation, we support the consolidation of EU and innovation instruments having fewer and more targeted programmes. The number of high quality proposals which do not receive funding in the ESC must be reduced. The time to grant needs to be minimised, and we must maintain focus on supporting deep tech startups in Europe. To answer your third question, we strongly support the initiative to fund dual use projects through the European Innovation Council and the current MFF. We also support removing the dual use restriction for EU research and innovation funding in the next period. Thank you.”
EU research funding
- “Thank you. Mary. Thank you. Colleagues who cooperated with us to found to find the proportionality in the controls and audit of the implementation of the CFP. Almost all member states have joined this document. We therefore invite you to take into account our common arguments. The first years of implementation of the Cap, moving towards a performance based approach were very complex, especially for paying agencies. The set of conditions are detailed, requirements increase significantly, but the Commission's guidelines and methodology were produced lately. What we as member States went through and what we introduced in 2023 under absolutely new conditions, within short deadlines, was a huge challenge. We put in place effective measures to achieve the objectives of the Cap, including through the introduction of ambitious climate and environmental schemes. A functioning management and control system is in place, comprising both the geospatial Application system and the Area monitoring system. All this has required significant changes in our IT systems and administrative processes, significant financial resources as well as extensive information to farmers. Farmers were not happy about it at all. The most difficult were precisely the first years of implementation, which the Commission recognized as a testing or transition period. But what is happening now? Countries that have invested to maximum, both financially and in terms of work and quality, are subject to the conformity clearance procedure and heavy financial corrections. We therefore call on the Commission to review the scope, timing and proportionality of the requirements of the guidelines and to apply a genuine risk based audit approach in the context of conformity clearance procedures. On the other hand, a proportionate approach aimed at improving the system should be applied rather than financial penalising member states for first years of implementation. I very much hope that the result of constructive dialogue. The Commission will avoid applying an exaggerated approach to audits, controls and calculations. These lessons should also be taken into account with a view to the future. Cap. Thank you.”
Agricultural funding
- “Chair. Vice president of the Commission. Colleagues, ministers. Addressing poverty and social exclusion requires a multidimensional approach where person centered services play an important role. In this context, Latvia a. Particularly appreciates the contribution of the EU funds. This has been a significant support in the development and provision of our community based social services. As a positive example of a new social service, I can mention. The decision making assistant service introduced in Latvia three years ago. It is available to individuals with disabilities and mental disorders. The support person assistant is entitled to provide assistance in legal matters, finance, daily living skills, healthcare and social care, as well as in building a support network. In addition, there is a family assistance service, which is also provided by Latvian municipalities to households with low social skills. In practice, this family assistance service has been a significant support and from 28 it will be included in the basket of mandatory social services. Another important support for the inclusion inclusion of persons with disability is the state funded Assistance Service for Mobility support. Turning to cross-sectoral cooperation, a successful example at the national level is the cooperation between municipal services and employment services to support and encourage people to participate in the labour market. At the same time, we see that cooperation with healthcare sector is also essential. Essential if a person needs to resolve some health related issues before they can look forward to integrating into labour market. Cross-sectoral cooperation is also important in relation to the upcoming EU anti-poverty strategy. There. It would be important to recognise that poverty reduction is not solely the responsibility of social policy. Social policy often addresses the socio economic consequences, including poverty and others. Therefore, it is necessary to also assess the policies implemented by related sectors and their impact on the situation of different population groups. Thank you.”
EU policy on disability inclusion & accessibility
- “The ministers. Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, we congratulate the Danish presidency on the progress achieved on the framework program text. And we thank the Cyprus presidency for organizing this timely debate on the remaining critical issues of Fp10. The main issue remaining for the partial general approach concerns pillar two and the Interlinkages to the European Competitiveness Fund. We fear that the existing setup provides too much flexibility to reallocate the collaborative, fundamental research budget to applied research and deployment activities. Researchers also need predictability for which research areas will be funded for the next few years. The Strategic Direction Forward should be co-created between the European Commission and the Member States, and the solution must contain these elements. Programme committees need to be composed of experts with a background in research funding. The budget for low technology readiness level research must be ring fenced, and safeguards are needed to prevent pillar two from being used as a so-called piggy bank for implementing other EU policy priorities. The Spanish proposal of splitting the work programmes could be a way forward. We are also open to exploring other solutions provided they address our underlying concerns regarding other issues requiring political guidance. We support an ambitious widening participation instrument which will contribute to closing the research and innovation gap in Europe. We support allowing dual use research across the framework programme, as well as the funding of defence projects under the European Innovation Council, and the primary beneficiaries of simplification should be applicants, not the European Commission. We would like to see a reduction of the number of partnerships by introducing a quantitative cap in the regulation, and we should also expand the use of lump sum funding. Thank you.”
EU research funding
- “Dear ministers and colleagues, we thank the Danish presidency for organizing this timely discussion on the 10th EU Research and Innovation Framework Programme, with a focus on dual use and defence research regarding FP ten. Overall, Latvia, along with our research community, warmly welcomes the ambitious vision outlined in the Commission's proposal. Collaborative research must remain the cornerstone of the Framework Programme Program, and we firmly believe that all of pillar two should adhere to Horizon Europe rules, rather than these of those of the European Competitiveness Fund. Work programmes should be developed with by policy makers with a strong background in research policy, and member States must retain a significant role in comitology. We appreciate the efforts to reduce administrative burden on applicants and support simplification measures, including the consolidation of partnerships and innovation funding instruments. However, the research and innovation divide within Europe persists, and the Widening Participation Instrument has demonstrated how centers of excellence can be successfully nurtured, thereby strengthening Europe's competitiveness, security and resilience. In recent weeks, many of our countries have faced security incidents, underscoring the urgent need to develop robust capabilities in security and defence. Research and innovation are integral to this endeavour. And the key question for the next Multiannual Financial framework remains how best to proceed concerning defence research and innovation. Funding should primarily come from non horizon segment of the European Competitiveness Fund. Building on the valuable lessons learned from the European Defence Fund, the Research and Innovation Framework Programme should only support purely defence research through the proposed Defence Pillar of the European Innovation Council, with a strictly cap budget to avoid compromising other research priorities within FP ten. Regarding dual use projects, we fully endorse the principle that both FP ten and the European Competitiveness Fund remains open by default to funding dual use initiatives. Each of us has a role to play in ensuring Europe's competitiveness, resilience and security, including universities and research institutions. Thank you.”
Research priorities within the EU
- “Thank you. Dear colleagues, Latvia is grateful for having this proposal on the revision of the Energy Taxation Directive in today's Ecofin agenda. We appreciate all the efforts and hard work done by the Hungarian presidency and the previous months. The negotiations have shown that we need to take into consideration not only our green ambitions, but the specificities on the Member States as well. So far, many compromises have been reached to improve the outdated Energy Taxation Directive. Experts have discussed how to adjust the energy taxation for modern needs, how to ensure that minimum level of rates are effective, and how to be prepared for the future challenges. Considering differences in the European Union, for example, the automatic indexation has been added to stop the debasement of minimum levels and the convergence of tax rates in general. Latvia can agree with this aim, although we believe that the indexation rate should be adjusted to ensure appropriate granularity considering the European Central Bank's inflation target of 2% per year. Moreover, during the negotiations, experts have discussed impacts from other fields. For example, the relationship with the Renewable Energy Directive directive was examined and the presidency has admitted that the technical adjustments still need to be done. To sum up, in our view, the negotiations has led us to a sensible balance between the aim to fix an outdated directive, the climate goals, the specificities of the Member States and the competitiveness of the EU. And therefore we wish the Polish Presidency Fruitful discussions on that issue, and we urge to finalize the remaining issues and to adopt the Energy Taxation Directive as soon as possible. Thank you.”
Energy (green transition)
- “Thank you, Madam Chair, honourable commissioners, colleagues, Latvia is also on the list of submitting countries, and we consider that an additional EU level system of indicators and thresholds that would lead to administrative burden and additional costs. In these matters. We should rather builds on the work of experts in Forest Europe group, and I would like to thank the colleagues for their support and Sweden for bringing up this issue in the Council. Thank you.”
Management of EU forests
- “Thank you. So first of all, thank you, presidency, for the work that is done. When we speak about Connecting Europe facility Latvia speaks from experience. Cef is a proven instrument that was the key to many success stories in the EU, including ours. For us, it has changed reality on the ground. It has helped Latvia overcome geographical limitations. Strengthening our security and energy independence in energy. Cef has played a critical role in ending the historical isolation of the Baltic region. Investment in cross-border interconnections and electricity infrastructure have increased energy security and resilience. Synchronisation of the Baltic electricity grid would be impossible without CEF, and it was our all EU victory. All this demonstrates the TEF delivers real European added value, especially for cross-border projects that no member states can deliver alone in transport and transport. Focus on cross-border infrastructure is a precondition for the union of connectivity. It needs to be prioritised. Cef funding has been the driving force behind the Rail Baltic projects so far, and it's continuous and critical. Additionally, the geopolitical situation forced us to act on a military mobility. It is a vital component of the safe transport part of it, especially relevant in my region.”
Energy (green transition)
- “Um thank you chair. We thank French delegation for bringing attention to this challenge. We are also facing increasing financial pressure to manage the volumes of waste generated by ultra fast fashion, including within extended producer responsibility schemes where the costs per capita tend to be higher for smaller countries and markets. Following the recent entry into force of the Waste Framework Directive, guidance and proposals from the European Commission on ultra fast fashion would be very valuable to support, transposition and assist Member States in implementing its requirements. Such guidance would provide smaller administrations with the clarity and predictability they need to plan investments and strengthen enforcement in a proportionate and effective way. Thank you.”
Energy (green transition)
- “Yes. Thank you. Chair, I would like to thank my colleagues for the information provided and especially to my Italian colleagues for raising their issues. We understand the concerns expressed by our Hungarian and German delegations, and indeed, farmers are increasingly exposed to a multitude of challenges, not only weather conditions, plant pests and global market pressures, but also shortage of effective plant protection products. That is why even plant protection products are not a luxury, but essential tools for protecting our crops. Currently, the commission is expected to propose amendments to the regulation on the planting of Pgprs on the market. We hope that these will provide the necessary solutions. We agree that European regional cooperation must be strengthened to find the best solutions. It should be borne in mind that political decisions are also one of the reasons for the withdrawal of some plant protection products. I hope that the Commission will be able to find a good and balanced solution. Thank you.”
EU policy on pesticides
- “Dear colleague. Sorry dear colleagues. Presidency. And again, I can only emphasize that Finland has prepared a very well and balanced proposal for the solutions. And we are very glad to be joining this non-paper, and we hope that the Commission and Presidency will find those suggested proposals were useful for their own proposals in further further discussions. But we have to keep in mind one thing we have to act urgently. Time is an essence in all of the competitiveness aspects and finding the edge for European single market to compete with, with the global, uh, globally, with other markets and other countries and economic blocs. Thank you.”
EU Single Market harmonisation
- “47:58 – 10:49:40): 1 of them my priorities since recently taking office as minister of justice has been to promote a framework that gives primary consideration to protection of children's lives this rights. This proposal should be viewed from this perspective because sometimes when we assess legal nuances, we risk losing sight of the main objective. And in this context, I should like to underscore that all that pertains to protection of children's rights has to be viewed, and is enshrined in article 3 of UN Convention on the Rights of Dead Child. In Latvia's view, the current compromise text is balanced, and we have no remaining red lines in the text. In particular, we appreciate the possibility for member states to invoke the as well as the article in overriding mandatory provisions in order to preserve the specific features national law that are important to each member state. Speaking of the way forward, Latvia thinks that without consensus on this proposal, we will continue to live with fragmented national framework that currently exists. As a result, we will not be able to achieve the main objective of the proposal to ensure identical level of protection for children regardless of their place of birth within the EU. Of course, we can rely on the use of soft law instruments, yet they carry a different lower legal weight. I therefore sincerely invite you to take a pragmatic approach and keep this in mind. Thank you. And nice to join this team. Thank you.”
Jurisdiction conflicts between EU and national courts
- “Thank you. Chair. Um, and thanks also for raising the issue. Generally we support the regulation, but we are still concerned about the practical implementation. Excessive and excessive administrative and financial burden. Also, after the latest Commission's proposal, therefore, we fully support the Austria's delegation. Um distributed note especially on two elements. Uh, stop the clock as the first and second. Further simplification efforts are needed. Thank you.”
Conditions to access EU budget
- “Thank you, Madam President. Madam chair. Commissioner, colleagues. Thank you to our Czech colleagues for bringing attention to this issue. Damage caused by cormorants is a major problem also for Latvian fishermen and causes major losses in both fisheries and aquaculture. We therefore support the check document and call on the commission to take action. Thank you.”
Funding for fisheries and aquaculture
- “26:40 – 11:30:18): Thank you, chair. I would like to begin by expressing my sincere appreciation to the Cyprus presidency for bringing this vital topic to the floor. And I would also like to thank commissioner for actively engaging in direct dialogue with young people during his recent visit in the Baltic countries, including Latvia. Ensuring that our policies truly resonate with the lives of young people is a priority we share deeply in Latvia, and direct dialogue is of great value to build trust among young people.
From our national experience, I want to highlight 3 pillars that have fundamentally changed how we approach youth policy. First is about power of data. Since 2024, we have operated a comprehensive monitoring system for youth policy. As of last year, we launched the public data dashboard, accessible to everyone, but I'd like to stress that this is not just about statistics. It's about transparency. It allows policymakers and young people alike to track progress, spot gaps, and hold us accountable, creating a shared language of reliable evidence.
Second, we have established a national youth dialogue, which was formally enshrined in our youth law this year. And this is not a one-off event. It is a structured regular bridge between young citizens and decision makers at every level. And by offering diverse participation formats, we've ensured that voices from every single municipality are heard.
Third pillar I'd like to point out is a spirit of cooperation. We moved beyond simple consultations to hosting intensive think tanks before drafting our youth policy implementation plans. This approach has not only sharpened the quality of our policies, but more importantly, it has rebuilt trust between our young people and the state and its institutions.
As we look towards the future of the EU youth strategy, Latvia proposes several priorities to ensure it remains relevant and impactful. First, cooperation from day one. Fully agree with colleagues and commissioners that we must involve young people at the problem definition stage, not just when we have a draft ready for a stamp of approval. Second, meaningful participation. We believe that formality is the enemy of engagement. We need tools that foster true core responsibility, such as youth panels, participatory budgeting, and sophisticated digital platforms. And third, measurable impact. To keep young people engaged, we must show them results. This requires clear indicators, public data, and a constant feedback loop that demonstrates exactly how their input changed a final decision.
And finally, we must recognize that youth policy does not exist in a vacuum. Every decision we make, whether in education, employment, health, or the climate, is a decision about their future. And if we want policies that are truly fit for the next generation, we must stop talking about young people and start collaborating with them as equal partners. Thank you. Estonia. Matthias?”
EU volunteering programs
- “The costs are too high for the private sector. Sufficient public funding and support intensity are necessary Since new energy transition technologies are cross cutting, the transition is most likely to occur simultaneously with other sectors, adapting the new technologies to the specific needs. It is important that any barriers hindering the energy transition are eliminated within the CFP. Adequate public support must be ensured for both innovation, development and knowledge transfer, especially for replacement of old fishing vessels and adaptation of port infrastructure. Regarding the third question, member states can only assume appropriate responsibility if adequate funding is provided. Unfortunately, the current MFF proposal for 2034 does not reflect this. Therefore, I believe that the primary focus at this time should be on ensuring sufficient financial and administrative support for the sector to address the challenges of the coming period, including energy transition. In conclusion, I would like to thank our Italian colleagues for the document. Latvia certainly supports and endorses it. We urge the Commission to take immediate steps to stabilize the very complex situation we find ourselves in. Thank you.”
Funding for fisheries and aquaculture
- “Thank you, madam chair, commissioner, Nikolay. We were happy to host you in Riga on the morning of the Europe Day. That was bright and clear signal to Latvian people. Thank you for being with us, and thank you for reflecting that, today.
We live in times when the resilience of our democracies and societies is constantly challenged. We can no longer afford entertaining the myth that culture is luxury. It is culture that brings us together and inspires us. Culture and cultural heritage are the drivers of societal resilience, security, and sustainable development.
How to move ahead? We must listen to the European citizens as we develop our new plan. The Eurobarometer tells us that some priorities must be made. The accessibility of culture and art, protection of cultural heritage, and prevention of natural catastrophes and climate change, as well as protection and digitization of cultural heritage.
Protection of cultural heritage, is a matter of security for our societies. In the context of geopolitical instability and hybrid threats, institutions and heritage require active risk management and strengthening resilience. Hybrid war warfare is not only carried out with weapons, but also with narratives. Destruction of heritage, disinformation about European values, erosion of community bonds are all part of the same evil strategy. The next plan must clearly define the steps we are about to make to fight this.
We, must, improve accessibility of culture. We must continue supporting access to culture, which is a fundamental right of every citizen. The EU's Eastern border countries know it better than anyone else.
When it comes to the role of culture and democratic resilience, we cannot leave behind those who sustain our linguistic diversity, historical memory, and embody European values. These are our artists and creative professionals.
Likewise, we must continue working on strengthening Europe's leadership in international cultural policy. The next work plan should pay more attention to the EU's role as a global cultural actor. The EU needs to develop a clear and united position that recognizes culture as a global public good and an integral part of sustainable development everywhere.
It is important to ensure that the next plan builds synergies with the global and EU cultural policy guidelines defined in Mandia Cult and the Culture Compass.
Latvia is ready to contribute to an ambitious work plan. It must be both resilient, preserving what works, and bold in responding to today's and tomorrow's challenges through concrete action rather than general objectives. Thank you very much.”
EU and national cultural identities
- “Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Lady Commissioner colleagues. We are grateful to the Portuguese colleagues for raising this important issue. The revision of the Legislative Act has to aim for a high level of animal welfare. It has to promote trade. It should not be aimed at banning. Or limiting certain type of transport. The animal transport requirements already now are quite high in Latvia. Transportation is only allowed if no breaches are detected. I am convinced that within the scope of the revision of the legislation, we will manage to come up with requirements that help maintain the competitiveness of EU farmers. The rules have to envisage clear and strict requirements for organisers of transport for the whole duration of transport, including for export to third countries. Thank you.”
EU requirements on animal welfare for farmers