The European Commission (EC) is not considering paying subsidies to cover the cost of transporting Ukrainian grain through Baltic ports, EC Vice-President Valdis Dombrovskis stated. Speaking in an interview with BNS, Dombrovskis said that the EC may provide financing for removing administrative or infrastructure bottlenecks, however. Also, the EC supported Lithuania’s proposal to move customs,…
Lithuania risks losing millions of euros in EU funds if key reforms, including a tax reform, are not implemented, European Commission (EC) Vice-President Valdis Dombrovskis warned, LRT reports. Dombrovskis will discuss the progress of the tax reform package with Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte and Finance Minister Gintare Skaiste in Vilnius on 7-8 September 2023. Dombrovskis…
Many Estonian companies continue doing business with Russia, ERR reports. Altogether 500-600 Estonian businesses still trade goods with Russia. The total value of goods exported from Estonia to Russia has not changed since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, when it amounted to EUR 50-70mn per month. This is partly due to the rise…
The financial intelligence units (FIU) of the Baltic States have conducted a first joint study of cash flows in the region, BNS reports. The study showed that the risks and vulnerabilities related to the flow of cash have changed in the region in 2019-2022. While there is a significant flow of cash from all three…
The Latvian government will extend the period for Russian citizens residing in the country to pass a Latvian language examination, LETA reports. The government instructed the Ministry of Interior to prepare amendments that would allow Russian citizens to apply for temporary residence permits for two years, during which time they would have to take the…
New electric trains in Latvia will not start carrying passengers before November 2023, state-owned passenger train operator Pasazieru Vilciens (PV) announced, LSM reports. Initially, the trains were supposed to be running in January 2023. Representatives of Czechia’s Skoda Group explained that the coronavirus pandemic and the war in Ukraine had disrupted the production and delivery…
Latvia’s greenhouse gas emissions rose by 7.5% in the first quarter of 2023, compared to the same period of 2022, according to Eurostat data, LSM reports. The increase was the second highest in the EU. Overall greenhouse gas emissions in the whole EU decreased by nearly 3% over a year.
The European Commission (EC) demands hundreds of thousands of euros in fines from Estonia for late implementation of two EU directives, ERR reports. Estonia has failed to transpose the so-called whistleblower directive into national law by December 2021. Also, the EC has initiated infringement procedures against Estonia over the European Competition Network (ECN+) directive, which…
The three Baltic States have joined the G7’s Declaration of Support for Ukraine, ERR reports. The declaration aims to provide Ukraine with sustained political, military, financial, and economic assistance through bilateral agreements. Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas, Latvian Prime Minister Krisjanis Karins, and Lithuanian Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte expressed their “unwavering support” for Ukraine until…