Progress Report on Swiss-Latvian Cooperation Program 2013-2017

1. Implementation progress 2013, Monitoringplanfor 2014SWISS-LATVIANCOOPERATION PROGRAMME Lithuania, 5-6 September 2013 Latvian NCU

2. Financial progress: Committed grant by priority sectorstill 31.08.2013 *Excluding CRUS managementandevaluationcommitteecosts ** IncludingutilizedgrantandreimbursementsreceivedwithinScholarshipfund

3. Progress achieved in priority "Security, stability and support for reforms"

4. Fire safety project(I) Main results (July 2014): • 118 general education institutions will be equipped (in total 125 buildings) • institutional partnership between Swiss and Latvian fire safety organizations established Progress: • Contract «Fire Protection Systems’ Installation» concluded in May. • Systems installation works July 2013 – March 2014. • Competition about fire safety issues for school children (7 – 8 grade) organized in. • New information activity initiated – WEB game for children about fire safety issues and civil protection matters to reach school children aged 7 – 12 in peripheral and disadvantaged regions of Latvia, to attract their interest and to stimulate initiative to learn about fire safety issues.

5. Fire safety project (II) Competitionaboutfiresafety issuesforschoolchildrenfrom 7th to 8thgrade. Competition was shown on mainLatvian Television. ThewinnerteamofthecompetitionvisitedSwitzerlandinAugust.

6. Youth centers' project (I) Progress achievedversus main results (March 2017): • 15 (outof 17 planned)youthcentersin peripheral or disadvantaged regions developed. 2 more to be opened till end of 2013 (intotal 4 in 2013). 1 additionalcenter will be opened in 2014 due to savings. • 63(outof 160) seminars for young people andfor persons involved in youth work organized. • 1 regionalconference(outof5, oneineachplanningregion) organizedabout role of youth work in the development of youth initiatives. • 2 regional forums (out of 5)organizedforyouthandpersonsworkingwithyouth. • 4 methodological materials and learning materials elaborated (outof15) aboutnon-formaleducation, supportforyouthinitiatives, promotionofyouthcollaborationandyouthparticipationforpersonsinvolvedinyouthwork, NGOs, youthorganizationsandothersinvolvedinyouthfield.

7. Youth centers’ project (II) Opening of Multifunctional Youthinitiatives centre in Salacgrīva (Vidzeme region) inMay

8. Youth centers' project(III) The 2ndRegional ForuminKurzeme inMay

9. Courts’ project (I)Resultsachieved • All planned 376 video and audio equipment units placed in 58 court rooms and 16 prisons’ facilities • 312 audio recording units installed and 7 mobile videoconferencing unitssupplied • All46 information kiosks and 130 modern unified information boards installed in courts • 5 court electronic services available for inhabitants and business • 46electronic forms for claims and documents for court proceedings developed • 85 seats equipped with scanner infrastructure • Extensive analysisofcostsfortheworkprocessesincourtsatdifferentinstitutionallevelsandusertrainingprovidedtillAprilinorder to improvethecourts’ costsmanagement • Analysisreportonmaincourts process improvementareaswith a focus to shortencourtsprocedurestimeandimplementnew e-servicescarried out tillMay • Additionalusersupportprovided to enhanceuseofvideoconferencingequipmenttillSeptember

10. Courts’ project (II) Upto now morethan 2000 video sessionsand 6000audio recordingswereheldinvolvingvideo conferenceswithforensicexperts, crossbordercooperationandprison facilities.

11. Courts’ project (III) Workshop in Latvia about Court modernization in Baltic States was held in August – experience was shared with Switzerland on implementing e-services and using video and audio equipment in daily work.

12. Progress achieved in priority "Environment and infrastructure"

13. Sarkandaugava’s project (I)2017) Progress achieved (February 2017) The Agreement for remediation works in Site I/II in area of 55 000 m2 signed on 13 February Remediationworks inSite I/II startedinMarchandshallbecompletedtillDecember 2016, including: • Technicalprojectfor pilot projectMarch – July • Pilot projectJuly – December (resultswillbediscussedbetween SES andSwissside. Actual statuss – 1streportof pilot projectforperidoJuly– Augustpreparedandwillbediscussedinnextweekbetweeninvolvedparties

14. Sarkandaugava’s project (II) Federal Councillor of Federal Department ofForeign Affairs of Switzerland visited implementation place ofprojecton 31 July.

15. Progress achieved in priority "Promotion of the Private Sector"

16. Financial reporting project Progress achieved(March 2014) • In total 48seminardays(out of 78) for stakeholder groups organized on International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) and on International Standards on Auditing. • Agencyparticipatedin a high level IFRS conference inPoland (endof 2012). • Terms of References  finalized for two studies to be prepared aboutrelationship between tax accounting and general purpose financial reporting. • Financialprogressof project 26%, whereasonly 7 monthisleft for implementation of planned activities. • Newproject manager was hired in order to ensure effective projectimplementation. • Last Steering Committeewasheldrecently, withWorldBankrepresentatives (inAugust).

17. Micro lendingprogramme (I) Progress versus main results (September 2015): • All micro loans 800 (out of planned 700) allocated in total amount of 7,2 mill. CHF, including: • 745microloans (outof 650) allocatedintotalamountof 6,8 mill. CHF ofinitialloanfundtillJune; • 55 microloans (outof 50) allocatedintotalamountof 0,44 mill. CHF ofadditionalloanfundinperiodJuly – August. • DistributionofnewmicroloansAugust - December (providedfromrepaymentsonly, no allocationsof grants). • Already 1572 people (out of 900) are employed in microenterprises (net turnover per year is less than 2,6 mill. CHF and employees are not more than 9 persons) financed byproject

18. Size of Microloans Micro lending programme(II) • 20% of loans have applied for max amount ~16’950 CHF (10’000 LVL) • Less demandedaresmallmicroloansinamountof 1’700 – 2’500 CHF (1’000-1’500 LVL) • Average loan sizeis ~10’000 CHF (5’900 LVL)

19. Micro lendingprogramme (III) Microloans by Sectors • Almost half ofloansare allocatedforagricultureprojects (cereal, dairy, vegetables, meet production etc.) • 28% of loans are provided for services(tourism, catering, training, accounting, beauty services, repairing etc.) • 15% – fortrade (food, wear, shoes, stationery, flowers, sports inventary etc.) • 8% - for manufacturing industry (mainly: woodworking, food), 5% - forestry

20. Progress achieved in priority "Human and Social Development"

21. Scholarship fund (I) • Progress achieved versus main results (March 2016): • 7 open calls are scheduled • Startingfrom 2013 opencallsarelaunchedbiannually • After 4 opencalls 14 applicantsweresupported (forallperiodplanned 43) • The 5thopencallannouncedon 2 September (deadline –1st November) • Areasofresearchesofapprovedapplicants: Engineering, Medicine, Biology, Geography, Pysics, LegalandSocialSciences, ExperimentalMedicine • FellowsrepresentingtheUniversityofLatvia, RigaTechnicalUniversity, theLatviaUniversityofAgriculture

22. Scholarship fund (II)Opencallresults grafiks

23. Swiss researchers’ project (I) • Progress achieved versus main results (Sept’ 2015) • After first 3 opencalls 43applicationssupported(for all period planned 45) • ~ 671 (outof2000)students and academic staff members participated inlectures and research activities • 2 (outof30)partnerships or networks established • ~ 620 students attended the Swiss researchers lectures in LV universities • Swissresearcherslecturedandsharedexperienceinfieldslikebusiness, mucicology, pedagogy, constructionand sports. • Hosting institutions in Latvia are: Riga Technical Universitu, Latvia University of Agriculture, Latvian Academy of Sport Education, School of Business Administration «Turiba», Jazeps Vitolins Academy of Music, Ventspils University College

24. Swiss researchers’ project (II)Open call results grafiks

25. Progress achieved inNGO fund

26. NGO fund (I) Progress achieved (April 2013) • Project successfully implemented according to the schedule set in the FPP • By the end of 2012 activities in all 62 subprojects were completed (including 12 subprojects which were supported due to savings) • Project closing event was held in April: • Discussionsonthesustainablityofreachedresultsanddevelopmentofthemtookplace • Externalevaluationreportofthe NGO fundwaspresented • Someofsubprojectsresultswerepresented

27. NGO fund (II)Overallimpactachieved • Increasedlife quality of13’220 children and youth and5’187 seniors inallregionsofLatvia • Contribution to reinforced civil society: • 35 projects strengthenedinstitutionalcapacityofNGOs • 26 projects enhanced cooperation between NGOs and localmunicipalities • 18 projects increased mutual cooperation and partnerships with Swissorganizations (experienceexchangevisits, informationexchangeonspecificissues) 3. Contribution to enhancing social security: • 21 project developed exisiting social services • 14 projects deceloped new socialservices

28. NGO fund (III) Implemented subprojects activities bytargetgroups / byregions

29. Operational Planning 2013

30. Modernization of courts

31. NGO FundScholarship fundSwiss researchers

32. SarkandaugavaMicro lending programme *DependsonresultsofTechnicalMeetinginRigaon 11 September

33. Youth centers’ project

34. Fire safety project

35. Financial reporting project

36. Reimbursement planfor 2014 *only for site I and II ** total remaining amount of financing, can be shifted to further years if project is prolonged *** only forecast, becauseopen call iswithout deadline

37. Thank you for your attention! More information on: www.swiss-contribution.lv