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• Latvia: The Competition Council launches new Webpage

In late 2012 the Competition Council (CC) launched the new webpage of the authority www.kp.gov.lv, ensuring new content as well as improved usability and design. In January 2013 the English version of the new site was completed (http://www.kp.gov.lv/en), providing information on competition policy in Latvia to international readers.

The new webpage provides more detailed information on the Latvian competition law and its implementation, explains the principles of cooperation with the CC during investigations as well as what information to submit when reporting an alleged infringement.

In the Latvian version of the site, separate sections have been devoted to information for consumers and public procurement organizers.

Among the most significant improvements is the new search engine of the decision database (http://www.kp.gov.lv/lv/konkurences-padomes-lemumi). All the CC decisions since 2002, and their related court decisions and administrative agreements are publicly available on the webpage of the authority. The new search function makes it possible to find documents quickly using selection criteria (such as date, type of decision, type of infringement, NACE codes, articles of the law etc.) or a search by keywords.

Another novelty is an interactive educational game that lets visitors imagine themselves in different situations and tests their ability to recognize infringements of the Latvian competition law.

Skaidrīte Ābrama, chairwoman of the Competition Council commented: ‘We have created the new webpage as an e-guide that will make it easier to find and make use of the compiled information available on competition law practice including recent updates and will facilitate the communication with the Competition Council. We hope that the site will mark another step towards closer cooperation between the competition authority and market participants and thus also towards an enhanced competition culture in Latvian society.”