News
09.02.2011. The project “Remediation of historically polluted areas – in Sarkandaugava” was approved by the Swiss competent authorities within the Swiss-Latvian cooperation programme . The Executing agency is the State Environmental Service and the project partners are the Freeport of Riga and Riga City Council. The objective of the project is to achieve improvement of soil, ground, groundwater and surface water quality, as well as to restore and improve environmental quality of polluted areas in Sarkandaugava, to eliminate danger to human health. Total financing is 15,3 million CHF, including 2,3 million CHF national co-financing. Project is planned to be implemented till 2017.
08.11.2010. Approved subprojects in the block grant “NGO fund”.
01.11.2010. Already 15 municipalities (Grobiņa, Talsi, Madona, Jaunjelgava, Aknīste, Nereta, Rēzekne, Balvu, Dagda, Daugavpils, Ilūkste, Krāslava, Kārsava, Rugāju un Vārkava) have received school buses under the project „Implementation of local governments' activities by ensuring the transportation of school children and related support measures" financed by the Swiss-Latvian cooperation programme. Each municipality received one bus Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 516 CDI with 19 seating. The project foresees that in total 110 buses for transportation of schoolchildren will be delivered to 59 municipalities. 37 buses Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 516 CDI (with 19 seating) will receive 27 municipalities, 42 buses Mercedes-Benz Intouro (with 40 seating) will receive 35 municipalities and 31 buses BMC Probus 215 SCB (with 31 seating) will receive 22 municipalities. It is planned that all buses will be delivered to municipalities till the end of 2010.
16.04.2010. The second Annual meeting of the Swiss-Latvian Cooperation Programme was held on 14 April 2010 in the Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Latvia. During the meeting representatives from the Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Latvia discussed with representatives from the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs and the Swiss Contribution Office for Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania the implementation of the Swiss-Latvian Cooperation Programme in Latvia during period from May 2009 till March 2010.
11.11.2009. Swiss Ambassador in Latvia Gabriela Nützi Sulpizio, Deputy State Secretary on foreign finance aid coordination issues of the Ministry of Finance Andžs Ūbelis and Director of the Society Integration Foundation Aija Bauere signed Project Agreement in the framework of the Swiss-Latvian Cooperation Programme concerning the grant for “NGO Fund”.
The Intermediate Body of the NGO Fund is the Society Integration Foundation. The purpose of this project is to promote civil society’s contribution to economic and social cohesion by supporting NGOs activities increasing life quality of children, youth and retired persons. Under small projects could be implemented activities justified by the needs of the target group (children, youth and retired persons), for example activities promoting leadership and participation, healthy and physically active life style and motivation and self-assessment programmes etc.
Total project costs - 4 117 647 CHF, including 617 647 CHF or 15 % national co-financing. It is foreseen to announce single open call for small project in the 1st quarter of 2010. Eligible applicants are societies, foundations and religious organizations acting for public benefit registered in Republic of Latvia.
16.11.2009. Signed second agreement within the Project Preparation Facility for the project "Research on youth needs in peripheral or disadvantaged regions”. The agreement was signed between the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Education and Science (the Executing agency). The objective of the project is to obtain credible data which would allow quantitative and qualitative analysis of the current situation in the area of youth interests and training needs and would give a rise for recommendations on establishing the Centres and necessary trainings, exchanges and events programmes. Total eligible costs of this project is 38 824 CHF, including 15% national co-financing. The implementation period shall be six months.
11.08.2009. Swiss Ambassador in Latvia Gabriela Nützi Sulpizio and Deputy State Secretary on foreign finance aid coordination issues of the Ministry of Finance Andžs Ūbelis signed two Project Agreements in the framework of the Swiss-Latvian Cooperation Programme concerning the grant for “Latvian local governments to ensure the transportation of schoolchildren” as well as for “Technical assistance in preparing the financial reports”.
The promoter of project „Implementation of Local Government’s Activities by Ensuring the Transportation of School Children and Related Support Measures” is the State Regional Development Agency. The purpose of this project is to enhance access to qualitative education and to increase safety of school children in peripheral and disadvantaged regions of Latvia by ensuring their transportation to schools and by increasing the quality of means of transportation. The main project activity is acquisition of approximately 110 school buses for local governments. Total project costs - 20 885 355 CHF, including 4 885 355 CHF national co-financing (state and local governments budget).
The second project “Financial Reporting Technical Assistance Project” will be implemented by the Ministry of Finance and by its partner the World Bank Centre for Financial Reporting Reform. The overall objective of this project is to ensure conformity of Latvian accounting and auditing legislation with the acquis communautaire and proper functioning of administrative institutions and as well as to improve and strengthen administrative capacity in financial reporting policymaking field, legislation and standard settings. Total project costs - 1 977 795 CHF which is 100% Swiss contribution.
25.06.2009. The first Project Agreement of the Swiss-Latvian Cooperation Programme is signed.
26.05.2009. The first Annual meeting of the Swiss-Latvian Cooperation Programme was held on 26 May 2009 in the Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Latvia. During the meeting representatives from the Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Latvia discussed with representatives from the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs and the Swiss Contribution Office for Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania the implementation of the Swiss-Latvian Cooperation Programme in Latvia during period from December 2007 till April 2009.
17.04.2009. The meeting of the Steering Committee of the Swiss-Latvian Cooperation Programme was hold in the Ministry of Finance on 17 April 2009. In the Steering Committee was approved the final project proposal “NGO fund”. Further the final project proposal “NGO fund” will be submitted for approval to the Embassy of Switzerland in the Republic of Latvia.
02.03.2009. The first agreement within the Project Preparation Facility about the project "Preparation for implementation the Project "Remediation of historically polluted areas – in Sarkandaugava”” was signed between the Ministry of Finance and the State Hazardous Waste Management Agency (the Executing agency). The objective of the project is to obtain the necessary data on historically polluted areas in Sarkandaugava and to prepare the appropriate documentation in order to complete the final project proposal. Total eligible costs of this project is 117 000 CHF, including 15% national co-financing. The implementation period shall be six months.
24.02.2009. The first final project proposal is approved. The Swiss competent authorities have approved the first final project proposal „Financial reporting technical assistance project” on 24 February 2009.
19.02.2009. The meeting of the Steering Committee of the Swiss-Latvian Cooperation Programme was hold in the Ministry of Finance on 19 February 2009. In the Steering Committee were approved three final project proposals:
Modernization of courts in Latvia;
Implementation of local governments activities by ensuring the transportation of school children and related support measures;
Financial reporting technical assistance project.
In the Steering Committee also was approved the revised project outline “Support for the development of the youth initiatives in peripheral or disadvantaged regions”, which was updated by the Ministry of Children, Family and Integration Affairs of the Republic of Latvia in accordance with conditions set out in the decision letter of the Swiss competent authorities.
21.01.2009. The Technical assistance fund and the Project preparation facility agreement has been signed by Ministry of Finance on the Latvian side and by Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation and State Secretariat for Economic Affairs on the Swiss side.
08.11.2008. The Saiema adopted the Latvian-Swiss Cooperation Programme Management Law which prescribes effective, transparent and corresponding with the sound financial governance principles management of the Swiss-Latvian Cooperation Programme in Latvia. The Law please see in Documents.
The Law basically determines:
the institutions involved in the management of the Swiss-Latvian Cooperation Programme, they rights and duties;
the procedure for making decisions and appeal of decisions of institutions involved in the management of the Swiss-Latvian Cooperation Programme;
and other specific issues related with the management of the Swiss-Latvian Cooperation Programme.
23.12.2008. Swiss competent authorities have approved project outlines
03.10.2008. All project outlines have been submitted to the Embassy of Switzerland in the Republic of Latvia
25.07.2008. The 1st meeting of the Steering Committee of the Swiss-Latvian Cooperation Programme
21.07.2008. The Law on Swiss-Latvian Cooperation Programme is approved
23.01.2008. On implementation of Swiss – Latvian cooperation programme