Today at the meeting of the Saeima European Affairs Committee the Minister for Foreign Affairs Mr. Indulis Berzins informed the participants about the Report on the Implementation of the Strategy of the Republic of Latvia for Integration into the European Union. The Report was reviewed by the European Integration Council on 11 December 2000.
On 9 February 2000 the Strategy of the Republic of Latvia for Integration into the European Union was ratified by the Saeima and it was established that the Minister for Foreign Affairs will deliver a report on its implementation twice a year.
The Strategy was adopted at the beginning of a qualitatively new period in relations between Latvia and the European Union, namely the accession negotiations. The latest European Commission Progress Report welcomed the fact that Latvia has prepared a Strategy for integration into the EU and has envisaged that its implementation process will be reported regularly.
The Report was prepared by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in co-operation with the European Integration Bureau and the sectoral ministries. The Report is a publicly accessible document containing comprehensive information on the development of Latvia in 2000, and suggesting the future activities in the context of accession to the European Union.
The Report shows that the work of the Government and the Saeima is to a great extent related to the process of integration into the EU. The state reforms would have to be carried out irrespective of our advancement towards the EU, for example, work safety, the recognition of the professional qualifications, alignment of the veterinary supervision, strengthening of the state borders. The Commission's Regular Reports on Latvia's progress and the accession negotiations is the catalyst for the reforms in the country.
The following dominating tendencies are characteristic for the Euro-integration process of Latvia: the surveys show that the society supports the integration into the EU; the internal reforms are continued consistently as confirmed also by the third positive European Commission Progress Report in succession; the Saeima political parties and governments have managed to ensure the continuity of the reforms. The advancement of Latvia towards the EU and its quality depends on a homogeneous development of the state therefore it is important to ensure the development of all the sectors mentioned in the Strategy.
The Report enlists also the problems that have to be dealt with, for example re-qualification of the unemployed, the public health, the lack of uniformity in producing the cattle-breeding products, illicit drug trading etc. A number of sectors still lack financing - the protection of the industrial and the intellectual property by restriction of piracy, statistics, facilitation of entrepreneurship, research, police, construction of the Eastern border.
Latvia's progress in the accession negotiations depends also on the legislation adopted and implemented, for example, amendments in the Law on Security Guard will enable the opening of the Chapter Free Movement of Capital.
The advancement of Latvia towards the EU depends to a great extent on the work of the Saeima and the Government, the involvement of the society as well as the promotion of understanding and support for the tasks to be accomplished, that is why it is important to continue the dialogue with the society on the EU related issues. The Report on the Strategy of the Republic of Latvia for Integration into the European Union will also contribute to the promotion of this process.
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