FICIL to present its annual snapshot of the Latvian business world

For the eighth consecutive year, the Foreign Investors Council in Latvia (FICIL) will present its assessment of the business environment in Latvia on April 24, taking a closer look at developments regarding public sector reform, workforce availability, fair competition, combatting shadow economy as well as other key topics of concern.  
LSM's English-language service will carry a livestream of the event.

As usual, Dr. Arnis Sauka will give a brief overview of the main results of FICIL Sentiment Index research, followed by respected journalist Jānis Domburs moderating a discussion among public sector representatives, politicians and investors. 

The focus of the research and the discussion will be on the effectiveness of the public sector and ways to improve cooperation among businesses and state administration. As part of the research, investors were asked to evaluate policymakers work over the last 12 months, as well as note what the next public sector reforms should focus on. Topics such as energy independence, workforce availability, and public sector efficiency were mentioned frequently, therefore the discussion will also cover these topics.

The presentation event will start on April 24 at 10:00 Rīga time. The public panel will take place in Latvian with a simultaneous translation to English.

The FICIL Sentiment Index has become an important fixture on the calendar for businesses and policymakers alike, providing a rich source of practical, real-world data.

From January 2023 to mid-February 2023, researchers interviewed 55 senior executives representing companies that are key investors in Latvia. Altogether, these companies (including their subsidiaries) contribute to 21% of Latvia’s total tax revenue and employ 18% of the total workforce of companies with an annual turnover above 145 000 EUR and 50% foreign capital (data from Lursoft, 2021).

Authors: Eng.LSM.lv (Latvian Public Broadcasting). Photo: FICIL