Latvia – leader among the Baltic States in term of EU fund acquisition in 2007 – 2013
Latvia has become a leader among the Baltic States in terms of EU fund acquisition in the planning period 2007-2013, shows the latest data of March this year. Within the framework of three EU fund operational programmes (OP) Latvia has approved projects amounting in total to LVL 770.1 million, and contracts have been signed reaching LVL 557.1 million or 15.8% of total Latvia’s public financing. However Estonia has achieved 12.9% of total public financing, but Lithuania – 7%.
First repayments have been done to beneficiaries (project implementers) – within the framework of OP “Human Resources and Employment” in amount of LVL 0.2 million, OP “Entrepreneurship and Innovations” – LVL 58.8 million, but OP “Infrastructure and Services” – LVL 1.3 million.
As reported, in the end of 2008 implementation of all the EU structural fund projects (SF) (European Regional Development Fund, European Social Fund, European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund and Financial Instrument for Fisheries Guidance) of the programming period 2004-2006 was finished. Till February 1, 2009, in total there were 100.9% of total SF financing (LVL 443.7 million) paid to beneficiaries. The SF expenditure amounting to LVL 389.5 million or 88.6% of total financing allocated to Latvia were declared to the EC. Comparing to previous quarter the increase in the declared SF financing is high – LVL 74.6 million or 16.9% of total financing.
Till February 1, 2009, all three neighbouring countries achieved similar results in acquisition of the SF financing allocated for 2004-2006. The amount of SF paid from the EC to the state budget amounts to 95% of the total SF financing. However, if comparing the CF acquisition indicators in the Baltic States, the biggest amount of repayments till the above mentioned date was made in Latvia – 69.7% of total financing available to the state, in Lithuania – approximately 68.3%, but in Estonia – 67.1% of total CF financing available.
The EU fund acquisition data regarding programming periods 2004 – 2006 and 2007 – 2013 is available on the home page of the EU fund Managing Institution www.esfondi.lv.
