EC has Approved Partnership Agreement for EU Funds 2014-2020 Programming Period
On Friday, June 20, the European Commission (EC) approved officially the Partnership Agreement developed by the Ministry of Finance (MoF) for the European Union (EU) investment funds 2014-2020 programming period. Thus Latvia is one of the first countries having the Partnership Agreement approved by the EC. The Partnership Agreement includes Latvia’s strategy and priorities, as well as the procedure regarding the effective and efficient use of EU funds in the new programming period.
“The Partnership Agreement, which was approved by the EC today, opens the way for 4.4 billion euro of the common cohesion policy financing and 1 billion euro of the agriculture policy financing to the economy of Latvia. I would like to thank everyone for unselfish work done in order to prepare a good quality and timely agreement. The priorities defined in the agreement focus on long-term growth and investment in human resources resulting in the best possible return from the development of Latvian economy. We are ready to continue active work to build on the Operational Programme and thus get ready for the implementation of particular projects in Latvia as soon as possible,” notes Finance Minister Andris Vilks.
The MoF and Ministry of Agriculture (MoA) as the Managing Authorities of corresponding EU funds were working actively at the development of the Partnership Agreement since January this year in cooperation with responsible line ministries and the Cross-Sectoral Coordination Centre, at the same time consulting the European Commission. The Partnership Agreement for the EU Funds 2014-2020 Programming Period is hieratically the highest planning document that shall be harmonised with the EC and that includes all support of the EU funds in Latvia. In the Agreement, there is Latvia’s strategy presented regarding effective and efficient use of EU funds in order to implement the EU 2020 strategy. The main goal of the Agreement is to ensure the coordination of all investments and their mutual synergy. A significant section of the Partnership Agreement is an integrated approach to the territorial cooperation, indicating the mechanisms of state and regional level for the coordination among EU funds and other EU and state-funded tools.
In 2014-2020 it is planned to allocated significant EU cohesion policy investments to reduce the number of citizens under the poverty risk by providing appropriate training, improving their health condition and integrating them into the labour market, as well as to facilitate the employment by integrating long-term unemployed persons and young people in the labour market. Support of EU funds is also planned to reduce the consumption of primary energy by improving energy-efficiency in the private and public housing stock and improving energy-efficiency in the industrial production.
It is also planned to increase investments in the research and development, promotion of the private investment attraction, as well as to activate cooperation between research institutions and businessmen. Investments of EU funds are also planned to improve information and communication technologies and transport infrastructure having a direct impact on the economic productivity, underlying innovations and increasing internal and external mobility of people and goods.
Information prepared by:
Ieva Raboviča
Senior Expert of Communication Division
Phone: 67095880
Ieva.Rabovica@fm.gov.lv
