IPP Pilotproject EU-funded advisory service agenciesEU-funded advisory service agencies

LATVIA

LOCATION & GEOGRAPHY� North-eastern Europe on the east coast

of the Baltic Sea� Central country of the Baltic States

(Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania) (Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania) � 5 planning regions of Latvia: Kurzeme, Zemgale, Vidzeme, Latgale, Riga region� Borders: Estonia, Russia, Lithuania,

Belarus, Baltic Sea

Population : 2.23 million

Cities >200.000 inhab.1 capital city Riga

Cities >20.000 inhab.10 cities

Source: Survey “Development of regions in Latvia” www.vraa.gov.lv

Higher and general education

Study year Students Pedagogical staff EducationalInstitutions

Programmes

2009/2010 112 555 (-14 495) 5 360 (-594) 54 (-4) 920 (+31)

2008/2009 125 350 (-1 700) 5 804 (+350) 58 (+0) 919 (+30)

2007/2008 127 050 5 454 58 889

Higher education

Source: Ministry of Education and Sciencewww.izm.gov.lv

Study year Students Teachers Educationalinstitutions

2009/2010 226 034 (-10 189) 22 629 (-3122) 846 (-102)

2008/2009 236 223 (-14 718) 25 751 (+184) 948 (-10)

2007/2008 250 941 25 567 958

2007/2008 127 050 5 454 58 889

General education

-Woodworking

-Metal working andmechanical engineering

Important and promising economicalbranches

-Transport and storage

-Health care-Information technology

-Environmental technology

-Health care

-Life science (pharmacy)

Source: “Latvian Business Guide” , developed by Investment and Development Agency of Latviawww.liaa.gov.lv

-Furniture manufacture

-Metal working clusterwww.masoc.lv

Clusters

-Supply chain /logistics clusterwww.lscc.lv

-Life science cluster-IT cluster www.itbaltic.com

-Electrical engineering andelectronics clusterwww.letera.lv

-Cosmic technologies clusterwww.vatp.lv

-Life science cluster(pharmacy) www.lifescience.lv

Source: Ministry of Economics, 9 clusters which received state co-financing in 2010, total amount 270 000 EUR

-Food business clusterwww.lpuf.lv

- Textile cluster

Support programs for enterprises(partially funded by EU)

- technology transfer liaison offices

- business incubator network

- venture capital instruments

- high value added investments

- financial instruments (start-up credits and loans)

- R&D programme

Source: Investment and Development Agency of Latviawww.liaa.gov.lv

State RegionalDevelopment Agency

Target audience

• Municipalities

• Planning regions

• NGOs

Main Functions of SRDARegional development:

• Earmarked subsidies for local municipalities (infrastructure)

• EU Structural funds support for the development of local municipalities (ERDF, ESF)

• Research activities in the field of regional development

International cooperationInternational cooperation• Involvement in international cooperation , bilateral agreements

• First level control function of European territorial cooperation programme projects

• European territorial cooperation programmes office (host institution)

• Vision and strategies around the Baltic Sea (VASAB) (host institution)

• Functions of the Contact point of the ESPON programme

E-services• Support function for local municipality e-governance• Maintenance and development of state e-governance (www.latvija.lv)

• Maintenance and development of e-procurement IT system

•administers 7 activities

In the 2007-2013 planning period

•hosts EU Territorial Cooperation Programmes Office which promotes project implementation on the cross-

• agency itself partecipated in

project implementation on the cross-border, cross-regional level )

Upcoming: Single CBR Home Market project

Interests in Pilot Project• Strategic approach for participation in EU programmes

• Cooperation mechanisms between EU service agencies in Latvia

• Sustainable platform for cooperation between IPP regions

• Website about available EU programmes – financing, maintenance

• Partner search tools

• Financing of interregional cooperation from EU structural funds

Riga PlanningRegion , Latvia

Regional Specification – Riga Planning RegionPopulation: 1,1 million inhabitants, 48 % of Latvia’s overall Number of Cities >200.000 Inhabitants : 1 Riga – 706 000

Number of Cities > 20.000 Inhabitants : 4 Jurmala – 56 000Ogre – 30 000Salaspils – 21 000Salaspils – 21 000Tukums – 20 000

Number of Universities, High schools: 29 universities , 20 high schools

Important economical branches: Chemical, Metal Fabricating industries, Pharmacy, Wood Processing, Food Products, IT, Logistics

Clusters in specific fields: IT, Forestry, Biopharmacy, Dairy-farming, Logistics clustersRegional support programs for enterprises: business incubators, start-up and enterprise support programmes

Regional EU Funds Information Centres

in 5 Latvia’s regions

2006 - 2011

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Mission

Regional EU Structural Funds InformationCentres were established in order to provide theproject applicants with the up-to-date informationon EU Structural Funds and to provide free initialconsultations on project preparation.consultations on project preparation.

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Help in being competent!

and others…17

Target groups

• Local municipalities

• Municipal authorities

• Educational (general, vocational, higher, further education) institutions

• Societies and foundations

• Entrepreneurs in urban and rural areas • Entrepreneurs in urban and rural areas

• State institutions

• Libraries

• NGO

• Individuals

• Other interested parties

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Activities of Regional EU Structural FundsInformation Centres (1)

• Information

– General information on access to finance from EU fu nds

– Information on issues of EU funds administration

– Open calls

– Seminars• Consultations

General consultations for the

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General consultations for the project applicants on EU funding, state investment programmes:- application procedures, - documentation required for the preparation and submission of project application, - project’s compliance with the regional development programme,- etc.

RSIC does not provide project preparation services

Activities of Regional EU Structural FundsInformation Centres (2)

• To suggest the most appropriate programme for the implementation of the client’s idea;

• To provide consultations in preparation of project application;

• To provide answers on EU funds related issues;

• To organize seminars, informative days, regional conferences and meetings with the specialists on EU funds related issues;

• To publish up-to-date information on EU funds in web site, provide publicity on the approved and introduced projects in the region;

• To inform on the open project calls;20

Search for financial resources www.rpr.gov.lv/esfondi

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Financing and Specific Factors

Partly financed by Technical Assistance of the EU f unds

Specific factors of success:

• information based on the needs of each target group in the region

• expanded information dissemination network

• close cooperation with institutions involved in the implementation of different EU funds and programs

Specific obstacles:

• increasing target groups needs requiring additional services (partner search

• best practice examples

• good cooperation with information providers of different EU funds or programs, but it is based on personal contacts and own initiative

Zemgale Planning Region, Latvia

Regional specification (1)

�Missions of planning regions: – To act in accordance with interests of local

municipalities.

– To promote sustainable development of own territory!–

– To elaborate strategies and development plans and also to coordinate their implementation!

– To support local municipalities in every possible way!

�Population: 280 494 inhabitants (approx. 12,5% from all inhabitants)�Territory: 10 733 km2 (16,6% from LV territory)�Two national meaning cities – Jelgava and Jēkabpils

Regional Specification (2)

Jēkabpils�Three regional meaning cities – Bauska, Dobele, Aizkraukle�One state university - Latvia University of Agriculture (approx. 8 000 students)� 12 branches of different universities� 121 schools

Regional specification (3)

�Biggest agriculture lands in Latvia.

�Zemgale PR projects:– Entrepreneurship

– Regional palnning and develoment– Regional palnning and develoment

– Environment protection

– Tourism

– Culture

– Transport

– Education etc.

Regional specification (4)

� Regional work groups of:– Entrepreneurship specialists and entrepreneurs

– Tourism specialists and TICs

– Social services– Social services

– Culture specialists

– Educational institutions

– Spatial and regional planners

Regional specification (5)

�Involvement in the projects:– Latvia – Lithuania Cross Border Cooperation

Programme 2007-2013 (6)

– Central Baltic INTERREG IVA Programme 2007-2013 (2)(2)

– European Social Fund (2)

– INTERREG IV C (1)

– European Commission initiative e-Content + (1)

– Baltic Sea Region Programme 2007-2013 (1)

– EEZ and Norway grants projects

Regional specification (7)

�Main obsticles:– No information about tools where to find info about

EU programmes

– Weak english knowledges

– Lack of financing

– Lack of good specialists in project writing

– Many programmes do not support investments

– Too complicated application

– Project evaluation is too long

Regional specification (6)

�How ZPR is supporting municipalities?– Consultation on project implementation

– Consultation in project writing and planning phase

– Helping to find appropriate programme for each idea– Helping to find appropriate programme for each idea

– Helping with partner search

– Taking LP responsibilities

– Representing all municipalities in “soft” projects

– Organizing seminars about EU programmes

– Writing projects etc.

State Education Development Agency

State Education Development Agency

-One–stop-agency: for initial and further education, science;- EU Structural funds, Lifelong Learning programmes, - EU Structural funds, Lifelong Learning programmes, Erasmus Mundus, Swiss Contribution, Norway Financial Mechanism;-State Agency - supported by state and EU budget

Specification of EU Service Agencies

- Implementation and managment of EU programmes

- Partner search: contact seminars on EU level

- Advantage: long term experience

- Regional seminars

LatvianTechnological Centre

Latvian Technological Center• Enterprise Europe Network (EEN)• FP7 SME & NMP NCP

Service target groups – SMEs and R&D organisationsMain services – transnational technology transfer, partner Main services – transnational technology transfer, partner search for R&D projects, innovation promotionEEN - supported by the Ministry of EconomicsFP7 SME & NMP NCP concentrated on EC FP7EEN in Latvia – 2 partners: LTC & LIAAFP7 SME & NMP NCP - co-operation with SZA

Latvian Technological Center

Cooperation

• EEN – Enterprise Europe Network

• FP7 SME NCP: TransCoSME - networking between • FP7 SME NCP: TransCoSME - networking between SME NCP’s

• FP7 NMP NCP: NMP TeAm - networking between NMP NCP’s

Latvian Technological CenterActivities

• Technology offers• Technology requests• Partner search• Partner search• Company missions• Monthly Newsletter• e-mail dissemination• Seminars• Exhibitions

Latvian Technological CenterProjects

• CIP: EEN, InnoLaSME

• FP7: TransCoSME, Proceed, Fit for Health, ERA-PRISMPRISM

• Leonardo da Vinci : E-IM

• Interreg IV A : SMEDGE

• Interreg IV C : EVITA

In the past – more than 30 projects

Latvian Technological Center

Factors of success

• Experienced team• Well established international contacts• Well established international contacts• Successful collaboration in the past

Obstacles

• Limited human resources• Local bureaucracy

Latvian Technological Center

Regional Cooperation

• Cooperation contracts with University technology transfer offices and regional business incubatorsoffices and regional business incubators

• Collaboration with Patent Office, banks, regional governments and other innovation support structures

• Joint events• Seminars

University of Latvia

UNIVERSITY OF LATVIA (LU) Statistics

UNIVERSITY

ENTERPRISES „CORE UNIVERSITY” UNIVERSITY

AGENCIES

UL Foundation UL Real Estate

Agency

13 Faculties 9 Research Institutes

2 Libraries Research and study

9 Research Institutes

Agency Companies with

the UL participation

Research and study Centres

Botanical Garden Administration

2 medical colleges

Total amount of LU staff (2011) – 2727

Academic and pedagogic staff – 892

Administrative staff – 169

LU Faculties StudentsDoctoral students

Academic Staff

Biology 330 52 52Chemistry 332 21 31Computrer science 839 41 40Physics and Mathematics 715 50 80Geology and Earth Science 746 43 38

Academic staff in LU Faculties and Institutes – Agencies

LU Institutes - AgenciesBiology 69Mathematics and Computer Science 101Solid State Physics 96

Geology and Earth Science 746 43 38Medicine 835 43 49Humanities 1927 69 82History and Phylosophy 638 31 28Teology 119 14 13Law 2407 80 55Busuness and Management 4988 127 110Social Sciences 1629 65 41Pedagogy and Psychology 2598 108 99

Polimer Mechanics 30Physics 44Latvian Language 30Latvian History 36Literature, Folclore and Art 38Phylosophy and Sociology 26

Year 2010

• Grants of Latvian Academy of Sciences for Fundamental and applied research projects

• Researches financed by Latvian government

Current project types at LU

• Outsourced research projects

• Market-oriented research projects

• European Social Fund projects

• European Regional Development Fund projects

• Projects financed by European Economic Area and Norwegian Financial Mechanisms

• European territorial cooperation, INTERREG projects

• Target group – researchers, administrative staff

• Service agencies in LU – administrative units (mostly Development and Planning Dept., Finance and Accounting Dept., Academic Dept., Personnel Dept.)

• Main services of LU administrative units – local supervising, administration,

Service agencies

• Main services of LU administrative units – local supervising, administration, coordination, consulting, communication with governmental service agencies

• Governmental service agencies – State Education Development Agency, Ministry of Education and Science, Latvian Academy of Sciences, State Regional Development Agency, Central Finance and Contracting Agency, Investment and Development Agency of Latvia

• Main services of governmental service agencies – supervising, administration, coordination, consulting

• Connection / co-operation between service agencies – regular thematic meatings/seminars, joint projects, daily consultations, discussions

• Training courses for project adminstrators and researchers

• Informative seminars and discussions about urgent topics

• LUIS (interactive project data base, linked to accountacy programme, available

LU support function in project implementation

• LUIS (interactive project data base, linked to accountacy programme, available for LU personel, etc.)

• LU regulation about implementation of EU and other foundation projects

• Web page www.lu.lv (project section, project annnotations, news)

• Regular consultations and informative meetings with project personel

• LU Project unit

• LU Innovation center

• LU Technology Transfer Contact Point

• governmental service agencies – State Education Development Agency, Ministry of Education and Science, Latvian Academy of Sciences, State Regional Development Agency, Central Finance and Contracting Agency, Investment and Development Agency of Latvia

Specification of EU Service Agencies

• role of involvement of EU Service Agencies in EU cooperation projects mainly depends on project type and state regulatory documents, but in typical case Agencies are coordinating project implementation

• agencies organize conferences and meetings involving potential project partners

• Agencies rarely participate in EU projects that mostly cover education and research, not administrative topics ( only few projects oriented on supporting administrative personel)

• specific factors of success - sufficiently large amount of finances

• specific obstacles – projects friendly legislation

Cross-boarder and regional cooperation examples

European territorial cooperation

• “Qualification, Innovation, Cooperation and Keybusiness for SME’s in the Baltic Sea Region” (BSR – QUICK) - 44 partners in 29 regions of all 11 BSR Baltic Sea Region” (BSR – QUICK) - 44 partners in 29 regions of all 11 BSR countries

• “Boosting Cross-border Entrepreneurship in Life Sciences & Medicine related to Biotechnology and Medical ICT between Estonia and Latvia” - 6 partners from Latvia and Estonia

• “Developing new branches and mechanisms of technology transfer on the basis of expert modules development, social networking tools along with the resources of Belarusian-Latvian Centre on Technology Transfer” - Latvia-Belarussia

Cross-boarder and regional cooperation examples

Norway grants

“Promoting the involvement of the research potential of local universities for regional development in Latvia” “Promoting the involvement of the research potential of local universities for regional development in Latvia”

- 21 regional seminars and practical workshops, 2 conferences, 7 publications, 14 case analyses, 1 book, home page – www.petnieciba.lv

- Cooperation between universities ( LU and 4 regional universities) ,local governments, enterpreneurs, regional development stakeholders, non-academic entities, NGO’s ( more than 350 participants)

Recommendations for support agencies

• Regular seminars about changes in EU and Latvian legislation

• Initiating improvements in Latvian legislation (procurement procedure, etc.)• Initiating improvements in Latvian legislation (procurement procedure, etc.)

• Analysing feedback from project implementing institutions

• Preventive steps to avoid mistakes in project implementation

• Cooperation with responsible ministries in Latvia, EU institutions

• Clear guidlines for project implementation process

• Joint seminars for universities in Latvia

• Joint e-mail lists (project leaders, adminstrative personel)

State Regional Development Agency www.vraa.gov.lvKarolīna Kļaviņa karolina.klavina@vraa.gov.lv

Riga Planning Region www.rpr.gov.lvDace Grīnberga dace.grinberga@rpr.gov.lv

Zemgale Planning Region www.zemgale.lvLinda Šarķe-Fedjajeva linda.sarke@zpr.gov.lv

State Education Development Agency www.viaa.gov.lvDagnija Dilāne dagnija.dilane@viaa.gov.lvDagnija Dilāne dagnija.dilane@viaa.gov.lv

Latvian Technological Centre www.innovation.lvJuris Balodis jbalodis@latnet.lv

University of Latvia www.lu.lvSandra Strole sandra.strole@lu.lv

Jūlija Stare julija.stare@lu.lv

Thank you!