Latvia - Strengthening of the institutional and administrative capacities

Short-term priorities:

• continuation of the structural reform of public administrations, in particular the administration of customs and tax and the capacity for financial control;
• strengthening the Ministry of Agriculture;
• drawing up a training strategy for the judiciary;
• strengthening the relevant phytosanitary and veterinary administrations, particularly as regards infrastructures at external borders and the strengthening of environmental institutions;
• making a start on setting up the necessary structures for regional and structural policies.

Assessment (October 1999)

These priorities have been partially addressed.

Very limited progress has been made in reforming the public administration. As far as the customs administration is concerned, the decision to make the regional offices subordinate to the Customs Board should make it easier to enforce legislation. Training for the judiciary has been increased. However, major efforts to restructure and strengthen agriculture, the environment and regional and structural policy are still needed.

Assessment (November 2000)

The process of reforming the public administration has begun. A new civil service law was adopted in September 2000. A framework law on the structure of the public administration and another law on public bodies are in preparation. An internal audit council was set up in June 2000 and all ministries now have internal audit units. An external audit development plan was launched in December 1999.

Assessment (November 2001)

A law on the civil service, a law on agencies and a strategy for reforming the public administration have been adopted. However, the framework law on the structure of the public administration has not yet been approved. The rural development plan has been adopted and the national development plan is being prepared. A paying agency has been accredited for SAPARD. Good progress has been made on the internal public finance control system.

Assessment (October 2002)

These priorities have not been assessed. The section on the Partnership for accession in the 2002 report focuses on issues which require more work in order to prepare Latvia for accession.

Assessment (November 2003)

Please refer to the fact sheets on the adoption of the Community acquis.

Medium-term priorities:

• application of Community legislation relating to the internal market;
• setting up institutions capable of implementing the Community's regional development programmes and agricultural policy (statistical capacities in particular);
• setting up anti-fraud departments;
• strengthening the budget process and macro-economic forecasting capacity;
• improving the functioning of the judicial system;
• training the legal profession in Community law and its application;
• strengthening the justice and home affairs institutions (providing enough suitably trained members of staff, in particular in the police force, at border posts in the ministries and the courts);
• strengthening the administration responsible for food issues.

Assessment (October 1999)

Reforms have been carried out to improve the functioning of the judicial system, and training opportunities for the legal profession in Community law have been provided. Progress has been made in strengthening justice and home affairs institutions, in particular protecting the eastern border and improving the professionalism of border guards.

Assessment (November 2000)

No progress was made in this area.

Assessment (November 2001)

A code of good practice for the civil service has entered into force and a document on wage reform has been adopted. However, providing the public administration with the capacity to apply and manage the acquis communautaire continues to be one of the most difficult problems to resolve. Rules on the organisation of internal audits of the programmes and projects financed by the European Union have been adopted. A plan on administrative territorial reform has also been adopted. Latvia has strengthened its administrative capacities in the field of statistics.

Assessment (October 2002)

These priorities have not been assessed.

Assessment (November 2003)

Please refer to the fact sheets on the adoption of the Community acquis.

Following the signing of the Accession Treaty on 16 April 2003, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia acceded to the European Union on 1 May 2004.

REFERENCES

Council Decision 98/263/EC of 30 March 1998Official Journal L 121, 23.04.1998

Council Decision 1999/854/EC of 6 December 1999Official Journal L 335, 28.12.1999

Commission Opinion COM(97) 2004 finalNot published in the Official Journal

Commission Report COM(98) 703 finalNot published in the Official Journal

Commission Report COM(1999) 506 finalNot published in the Official Journal

Commission Report COM(2000) 706 finalNot published in the Official Journal

Commission Report COM(2001) 700 final - SEC(2001) 1749Not published in the Official Journal

Commission Report COM(2002 700 final - SEC(2002 1405Not published in the Official Journal

Commission Report COM(2003) 675 final - SEC(2003) 1203Not published in the Official Journal

Treaty of Accession to the European Union [Official Journal L 236, 23.09.2003]

Last updated: 19.11.2004