Translated using ChatGPT service.
The Parliamentary Secretary of the Ministry of Economics, Jurģis Miezainis, along with a delegation, participated in high-level events from April 3-5 to strengthen bilateral cooperation with the Czech Republic and discuss enhancing collaboration between the two countries within the European Union framework.
During the visit, J. Miezainis met with Kristina Gianopapa, Head of the Office of the Executive Director, and Patrick Hamilton, Head of Administration, of the European Union Space Programme Agency (EUSPA). The discussions focused on the latest developments in the EU Space Programme and the opportunities it offers Latvia in space exploration, satellite technology, and related sectors. EUSPA programs and opportunities are available to Latvian companies, ranging from submitting new ideas to participating in existing projects.
As the only representative from the Baltic states, the Parliamentary Secretary of the Ministry of Economics represented Latvia at the conference "CZECHIA IN THE EU: NEXT 20 YEARS" organized by the Czech Chamber of Commerce, offering insights on the competitiveness of the European Union's economy and the role of technology. Special attention was given to the need to improve the single market in the field of digital services.
During the conference, the Parliamentary Secretary had the opportunity to converse with the President of the Czech Republic, Petr Pavel. The President confirmed that Latvia is a close partner and that the Czech Republic is open to cooperation, including in the space industry, highlighting it as a sector with significant potential in his country.
Discussions also took place on the future of the EU single market and the Digital Market Act, meeting with Amazon’s Vice President of Public Policy, Lucy Cronin. The Parliamentary Secretary listened to the company's stance and future vision, as well as inquired about the global giant's future plans in the region, particularly in Latvia.
The visit was supported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Latvia and the public diplomacy program dedicated to celebrating Latvia's twenty years of membership in the European Union. An event organized by the Latvian Ambassador to the Czech Republic, Elita Kuzma, “Space Lunch,” provided the Parliamentary Secretary and the Latvian delegation a platform for discussions with key players in the Czech space industry, once again highlighting the bilateral cooperation between Latvia and the Czech Republic in this field and the synergy of cooperation with EUSPA programs. Significant topics were discussed regarding Latvia's involvement in future Czech satellite space missions, including AMBIK (Earth observation satellite) and QUVIK (satellite with a telescope), planned to be launched into space in 2028. These provide an opportunity for Latvia to offer its technological contributions to a partner country, thus ensuring “flight experience” for the country's space innovations, which is the most crucial quality mark for space technologies and a significant factor for further commercialization.
Czech mission leaders expressed interest in cooperating with Latvian space industry companies, considering their uniqueness on an international level and participation in missions such as Lunar Gateway (near-Moon international space station) and Hera (Earth protection from asteroids). Other space collaboration projects are also being developed between Latvian and Czech companies and scientific institutions. This meeting with the Czech industry gave Latvia the opportunity to gain insights, build partnerships, and explore further cooperation possibilities in the dynamic field of space exploration and technology.
Additionally, during the visit, J. Miezainis and the delegation met with the Director General of the EU and Foreign Trade Department of the Czech Ministry of Industry and Trade, David Müller. This provided an opportunity to discuss mutual interests and cooperation in depth. The discussions emphasized the coordination of Latvian and Czech views on issues such as the functioning of the EU single market, the situation and assistance to Ukraine, especially regarding reconstruction, as well as legislative consolidation and reducing bureaucratic burdens within the EU context. The parties discussed the active NewSpace (space entrepreneurship) sector. Both sides expressed great interest in leveraging the potential of new technologies and innovations to promote economic cooperation and growth.
During the visit, the Parliamentary Secretary of the Ministry of Economics visited the Czech Technical University and met with Rector Vojtěch Petráček to discuss the possibilities of expanding cooperation between universities, for example, in energy, space exploration, nuclear research, robotics, and human capital development. The mutual benefit of research and academic partnerships in the development of knowledge and technological innovations was emphasized. The Parliamentary Secretary invited university representatives to attend the leading European 5G ecosystem forum, 5G Techritory, organized in Riga.
