SPr1qg
SPr1qg SPr1qg
The National Coordination of EU Policy in Latvia 81 functioning and development of the coordination of national EU policy in its various phases of relations with the EU. The third part explains the impact of variables as the structure of the wider executive, non-institutional actors within the domestic system, external pressures and foreign institutional templates. The final part assesses the coordination system and draws recommendations for the national coordination of EU policy. Historical background Following the restoration of independence in August 1991, Latvia entered an interim period of transition and reorganisation, which lasted until 1993, when, after elections of the fifth parliament (Saeima), the 1922 Constitution came into full effect, establishing a parliamentary system. The Constitution of the Latvian SSR and Law dating from 1978 remained in force, although two laws approved in May 1990 set down rules governing the Cabinet of Ministers and public administration. In creating a new state system, it repudiated all elements connected with the previous regime, which the Godmanis government actively sought to eliminate. It attempted to re - instate the institutions of the first Republic of Latvia (1918–1940) and also to borrow from Western Europe. Latvia has a prime ministerial political system, where the PM is accountable to Parliament. It also has a multiparty system, where most governments are composed of three or four parties that have tended to have an average life of 12 months. Until the late 1990s, the administration was strongly decentralized. Ministries enjoyed considerable autonomy, which was reinforced by the practice of coalition government, and there was a vacuum at the centre of government, where the role played by the EIB in EU affairs was very much an exception. A review undertaken by Sir Robin Mountfield, former Head of the Civil Service of the United Kingdom, diagnosed departmentalism and a lack of coherence as problems. Among his recommendations aimed at strengthening the centre of government was a proposal to assign a clearer policy coordination role to the State Chancellery. 1 From the late 1990s, government made concerted efforts to rationalise the administration 1 EU-8 Public Sector Capacity in the EU 8. Report On Strategic Planning and Policy Management in Lithuania and Latvia. Background Paper. Poverty Reduction and Economic Management unit. Europe and Central Asia, World Bank, September 2006.
82 Ivo Rollis along these lines. 2 As in other CEEC, the mechanisms developed to manage EU policy presented a model of best practice. Since 2001, when the government launched its reform programme policy, coordination has improved significantly, and the responsible unit in the State Chancellery has attracted considerable praise. 3 The emergence and development of the coordination system Full membership of the EU for Latvia has been a goal since the nation regained its independence in August 1991, reiterated in the preambles of the Free Trade and the European Association Agreements. No dedicated structures existed to manage EU affairs until early 1995. Latvia formally started the EU integration process on 3 October 1995 when the President and the Prime Minister signed Latvia’s official application for accession. The MFA took charge of dialogue with the EU as an area of foreign policy, but this changed with the beginning of the pre-accession process. Latvia needed 18 years to complete its final step on the EU integration path by joining the Eurozone on 1 January 2014, and becoming a member state of the European Stability Mechanism on 13 March 2014. One of the first steps taken by the government to develop a more structured EU integration mechanism with links to the whole of the administration was to establish the EIB 4 in 1995. The EIB began operations on 1 January 1995 and was entrusted with carrying through the government’s aim of full membership of the EU. It was attached to the MFA as a specially established unit, and later supervised by the Minister of Special Assignments in European Affairs without portfolio. Other structures, including the EIC and the CSO, were created at this time. However, after two years, respons ibility was entrusted to a Minister for European Affairs without portfolio, then, in 1998, central responsibility for EU policy in general, and for meeting the accession requirements in particular, was shifted to the PM. As the pressures of meeting the conditions for membership grew more intense, especially the need to transpose and implement considerable volumes of EU 2 Public Administration Reform Strategy from 2001 – 2006. Cabinet of Ministers, 2001. 3 EU-8 Public Sector Capacity in the EU 8. Report On Strategic Planning and Policy Management in Lithuania and Latvia. Background Paper. Poverty Reduction and Economic Management unit. Europe and Central Asia, World Bank, September 2006. 4 Establishment of the European Integration Bureau. Regulation, Cabinet of Ministers, 1994.
- Page 31 and 32: Latvijas informācijas tehnoloģiju
- Page 33 and 34: 32 Dace Kalsone Informācijas sist
- Page 35 and 36: 34 Dace Kalsone pusē un it īpaši
- Page 37 and 38: 36 Dace Kalsone IKT sadarbības mod
- Page 39 and 40: 38 Dace Kalsone Privātā sektora p
- Page 41 and 42: 40 kurai pielāgošanas darbus plā
- Page 43 and 44: 42 Uldis Zariņš The digitisation
- Page 45 and 46: 44 Uldis Zariņš tika izveidota in
- Page 47 and 48: 46 Uldis Zariņš tādējādi atbal
- Page 49 and 50: 48 Uldis Zariņš dokuments ir 2011
- Page 51 and 52: 50 Uldis Zariņš institūcijām ve
- Page 53 and 54: 52 Uldis Zariņš Republikas Kultū
- Page 55 and 56: 54 Uldis Zariņš Skatoties nākotn
- Page 57 and 58: Informatizācijas attīstība izgl
- Page 59 and 60: 58 Rūdolfs Kalvāns Tika izmantota
- Page 61 and 62: 60 Rūdolfs Kalvāns Īpaši izplat
- Page 63 and 64: 62 Rūdolfs Kalvāns 2013. gada dat
- Page 65 and 66: 64 Rūdolfs Kalvāns •• inform
- Page 67 and 68: 66 Rūdolfs Kalvāns Saistībā ar
- Page 69 and 70: 68 Rūdolfs Kalvāns Aptuveni 20% s
- Page 71 and 72: 70 Rūdolfs Kalvāns atdeve uz vien
- Page 73 and 74: Mediju politika — izaicinājumi u
- Page 75 and 76: 74 Toms Meisītis Vai apstākļos,
- Page 77 and 78: 76 Toms Meisītis tieši aizliegtai
- Page 79 and 80: 78 sabiedriskajiem medijiem un viet
- Page 81: 80 Ivo Rollis Introduction Latvia o
- Page 85 and 86: 84 Ivo Rollis Permanent Representat
- Page 87 and 88: 86 Ivo Rollis handbooks — and the
- Page 89 and 90: 88 Ivo Rollis Council meetings and
- Page 91 and 92: 90 Ivo Rollis in vites the lead dep
- Page 93 and 94: 92 Ivo Rollis Latvia's System for t
- Page 95 and 96: 94 Ivo Rollis Era PM between 2002 a
- Page 97 and 98: 96 Ivo Rollis taker in minority int
- Page 99 and 100: 98 Ivo Rollis Also, EU fund require
- Page 101 and 102: 100 Ivo Rollis assessment needs; fi
- Page 103 and 104: 102 policies that would allow for m
- Page 105 and 106: 104 Iveta Reinholde Tāpēc, ja tie
- Page 107 and 108: 106 Iveta Reinholde Tātad viedai s
- Page 109 and 110: 108 mērķis tiks sasniegts. No tā
- Page 111 and 112: 110 Ina Strazdiņa kur ir vajadzīg
- Page 113 and 114: 112 Ina Strazdiņa E-lietas būs ar
- Page 115 and 116: 114 sākuši runāt 2002. gadā, be
- Page 117 and 118: 116 Ilze Andžāne, Magda Straume j
- Page 119 and 120: 118 Ilze Andžāne, Magda Straume l
- Page 121: Tukša lapa
82<br />
Ivo Rollis<br />
along these lines. 2 As in other CEEC, the mechanisms developed to manage<br />
EU policy presented a model of best practice. Since 2001, when the government<br />
launched its reform programme policy, coordination has improved<br />
significantly, and the responsible unit in the State Chancellery has attracted<br />
considerable praise. 3<br />
The emergence and development of the coordination system<br />
Full membership of the EU for Latvia has been a goal since the nation<br />
regained its independence in August 1991, reiterated in the preambles of<br />
the Free Trade and the European Association Agreements. No dedicated<br />
structures existed to manage EU affairs until early 1995. Latvia formally<br />
started the EU integration process on 3 October 1995 when the President<br />
and the Prime Minister signed Latvia’s official application for accession. The<br />
MFA took charge of dialogue with the EU as an area of foreign policy, but<br />
this changed with the beginning of the pre-accession process. Latvia needed<br />
18 years to complete its final step on the EU integration path by joining the<br />
Eurozone on 1 January 2014, and becoming a member state of the European<br />
Stability Mechanism on 13 March 2014.<br />
One of the first steps taken by the government to develop a more structured<br />
EU integration mechanism with links to the whole of the administration<br />
was to establish the EIB 4 in 1995. The EIB began operations on 1 January<br />
1995 and was entrusted with carrying through the government’s aim of<br />
full membership of the EU. It was attached to the MFA as a specially established<br />
unit, and later supervised by the Minister of Special Assignments in<br />
European Affairs without portfolio. Other structures, including the EIC and<br />
the CSO, were created at this time. However, after two years, respons ibility<br />
was entrusted to a Minister for European Affairs without portfolio, then,<br />
in 1998, central responsibility for EU policy in general, and for meeting<br />
the accession requirements in particular, was shifted to the PM. As the<br />
pressures of meeting the conditions for membership grew more intense,<br />
especially the need to transpose and implement considerable volumes of EU<br />
2<br />
Public Administration Reform Strategy from 2001 – 2006. Cabinet of Ministers, 2001.<br />
3<br />
EU-8 Public Sector Capacity in the EU 8. Report On Strategic Planning and Policy Management<br />
in Lithuania and Latvia. Background Paper. Poverty Reduction and Economic Management<br />
unit. Europe and Central Asia, World Bank, September 2006.<br />
4<br />
Establishment of the European Integration Bureau. Regulation, Cabinet of Ministers, 1994.
Change language