On June 13 this year, the annual joint initiative “An official shadows an entrepreneur” will begin throughout Latvia, which will last until October 16.  

During the initiative, government representatives, heads of various state institutions, senior officials, public administration employees will become acquainted with the day-to-day work of companies, meet with company managers and various representatives, discuss issues that are relevant to them and look for solutions to problems voiced by entrepreneurs. 

An innovative, secure, competitive and predictable business environment is an important prerequisite for the successful development of the Latvian economy, as well as for strengthening relations between public administration and entrepreneurs. This year, the initiative “An official shadows an entrepreneur” will take place for the fourth time, which clearly demonstrates the need for dialogue between public administration employees and entrepreneurs, resulting in a broader understanding of the challenges of the system, the necessary improvements, as well as an exchange of ideas and opinions. Cooperation between officials and entrepreneurs is important because it promotes closer trust, sharing of experience, individual approach, thus highlighting mutual desire and the aspiration for better results,” the Minister of Economics Ilze Indriksone emphasises. 

From April 24 to September 29 this year, we encourage government representatives, officials and public administration employees to apply for participation in the initiative. The application questionnaire is available on the website of the Ministry of Economics: https://www.em.gov.lv/lv/iniciativa-ierednis-eno-2023. 

Meanwhile, entrepreneurs will be able to apply to participate in this activity from May 10 to September 29 this year. Accordingly, government and state representatives will meet with entrepreneurs from June 13 to October 16 this year.

As it is well known, participation in the initiative “An official shadows an entrepreneur” is an additional opportunity for entrepreneurs to receive individual advice and support from the state. During the initiative the entrepreneur may voice his or her idea or problem and participate directly in solving it in cooperation with the responsible state administration employee. The entrepreneur may choose for shadowing several officials who will visit the company at the same time. The participation of the public administration employee in the initiative is an opportunity to become acquainted with the experience and challenges of the entrepreneur’s daily work, as well as assess the application of the regulation established by his or her institution in practice. In cooperation with partners, participation of entrepreneurs and officials in the thematic groups of the Latvian Chamber of Commerce and Industry is planned in order to jointly develop a new Plan for Improvement of the Business Environment. It will be possible to indicate participation in the application and to join throughout the duration of the initiative. Thus entrepreneurs will be able to choose the most convenient format. 

The initiative “An official shadows an entrepreneur” takes place in cooperation with the Latvian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Employers’ Confederation of Latvia, the Business Union of Latvia, Junior Achievement Latvia and the Finance Latvia Association.