Brussels, 24/09/2007 (Agence Europe) - Agreement was reached on Monday 24 September between Latvian authorities and the European Commission on Latvia's National Strategic Reference Framework (NSRF) and its priorities for Cohesion Policy for 2007-2013. In its NSRF, which focuses essentially on job creation and growth, Latvia sets out how it intends to invest €4.53 billion in line with the Lisbon strategy for growth and jobs. The NSFR has three strategic objectives: (1) developing and using human resources efficiently; (2) strengthening competitiveness and progress towards a knowledge-based economy; (3) improving public services and infrastructure as a precondition for balanced national and territorial development. Investment will contribute to (1) urban development in Latvia, which is currently concentrated around a few large areas - Riga (with its surroundings) has almost half of the country's population - so the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) will contribute €267 million for the development of 17 cities; (2) improving the efficiency of public administration. The EU contribution will help to compensate for gaps in the education system, contribute to the creation of new companies and improve the national road network. Latvia is currently negotiating three operational programmes, two of which will receive funding from the ERDF and the Cohesion Fund, while the third will receive funding from the European Social Fund (ESF). The Latvian NSFR is available at http: //http://www.esfondi.lv
The agreement was signed by Regional Policy Commissioner Danuta Hübner during her visit to Riga on 24-25 September. On the invitation of Latvian Regional Development Minister Aigars Stokenbergs, the commissioner took part in the “United by Borders” conference, which highlighted cross-border cooperation between the Baltic Sea countries and neighbouring Russia and Belarus. With regard to future cooperation for 2007-2013, the conference provided guidance on the five new cross-border programmes that will cover the Baltic States, said a Commission press release. Three are European Territorial Cooperation programmes co-financed by the ERDF: - Central Baltic, a maritime cross-border cooperation programme involving coastal regions of Estonia, Finland, Latvia and Sweden (ERDF share: €102 million); - Estonia-Latvia (€51 million from ERDF) and - Latvia-Lithuania (€64 million from ERDF) both to promote bilateral cross-border cooperation. Two programmes are supported by the European Neighbourhood and Partnership Instrument (ENPI): a) Estonia-Latvia-Russia; b) Latvia-Lithuania-Belarus. The Commission is expected to approve these territorial cooperation programmes before the end of the year. For information: http: //ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/index_en.htm (gb)