As part of the second Swiss Contribution to selected EU member states, the Swiss-Latvian Cooperation Programme contributes to the strategic reforms undertaken by Latvia and aims at improving the lives of people. The Programme will strengthen existing and create new long-lasting Swiss-Latvian partnerships, as well as provide for an exchange of experience and knowledge in priority areas for both sides. This continues the long-standing and successful bilateral cooperation established in the first Swiss Contribution with sustainable and visible results.
The Framework Agreement signed between the Swiss Federal Council and the Government of Latvia in June 2023 foresees the implementation of four Programmes with the aim of:
- promoting economic growth and social dialogue, reducing (youth) unemployment;
- protecting the environment and the climate;
- strengthening social systems.
The second Swiss contribution to Latvia amounts to 40.4 million Swiss francs. In addition, Latvia contributes 15% as co-financing to each Programme.
Swiss-Latvian Partnership in Applied Research
The Programme will strengthen the knowledge base and human capital in research and innovation (R&I) in Latvia for economic transformation and sustainable growth by fostering applied research excellence and bringing academic and research results to businesses and society at large, and promoting their broader application.
The Programme will enable the Latvian research institutions in the areas of advanced materials, information and communication technologies (ICT), and smart energy to collaborate with Swiss institutions in joint research projects. The Programme will advance the research institutions' capacities, leading to high-quality joint research publications, increased number of persons with cutting-edge technological knowledge, broader dissemination of research results, as well as rising STEM and technological awareness among young people, especially girls and people living outside the capital Riga.
Programme component 1 in the area of Advanced Materials will be implemented by Riga Technical University and the Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology (EMPA).
Programme component 2 in the areas of ICT and Smart Energy will be implemented by the Institute of Solid-State Physics of the University of Latvia, in cooperation with the Institute of Electronics and Computer Science and involving Riga Technical University. The Swiss partners are the Zurich University of Applied Sciences (ZHAW), the Swiss Centre for Electronics and Microtechnology (CSEM) and the Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI).
The thematic focus of the Programme has been selected according to the priorities of the national economy in cooperation with a wide range of stakeholders under the coordination of the Ministry of Economy and the Investment Development Agency of Latvia.
Switzerland finances this Programme with 10 million Swiss francs.
Stronger Work-based Learning for Improving Vocational Education and Training in Latvia
The overall goal of the Programme is to create a more attractive, flexible and high-quality VET (Vocational Education and Training) system for increasing Latvia's economic productivity and promoting competitiveness.
The Programme addresses the priorities defined by the Education Development Guidelines 2021–2027 and the development tasks in accordance with the Vocational Education Law. During the Programme, a new work-based learning approach and qualification examination model will be created and piloted in selected sectors, as well as new vocational education teachers will be trained and prepared.
Programme Component 1 focuses on rearranging the VET curricula and learning assessment model from a school-based approach to a company-based VET system and will be implemented by the National Centre of Education.
Programme Component 2 focuses on the work-based learning model in Higher Education (HE) to improve the training of VET teachers and to diversify teaching and learning methods for acquiring relevant skills. It will be implemented by the National Centre of Education and will include an open call for HE institutions.
Switzerland allocates 10 million Swiss francs for the implementation of this Programme.
Advancement of Paediatric Cancer Care in Latvia
The Support Measure aligns with national and European strategic plans and directly addresses the crucial need to increase the quality, availability and accessibility of cancer and rare disease related health services to decrease the cancer death rates and improve the quality of life for children with cancer in Latvia. The goal of the Programme is to improve survival and quality of survival by increasing availability and access to better diagnostic, treatment and follow-up services for children with cancer and other rare diseases.
The focus is on the following interventions: international research engagement, advanced diagnostics, capacity building of healthcare and other professionals through participation in training programmes, workshops and knowledge exchange activities, development of personalised and comprehensive follow-up care system for cancer and rare disease survivors, and improvement of patient satisfaction with provided services.
The Programme is coordinated by the Ministry of Health and will be implemented by the Children’s Clinical University Hospital. The Swiss knowledge and experience will be represented by Lausanne University Hospital.
Switzerland finances this Programme with 7.5 million Swiss francs.
Remediation of Historical Pollution
Remediation of historically polluted sites is a strategic priority of the government of Latvia, as outlined in its National Development Plan for 2021-2027.
The Programme’s goal is to improve the environmental quality of a historically polluted site and reduce risks to human health. The oil-contaminated site of the former factory of reinforced concrete in Aizkraukle at the banks of the Daugava River has been identified as the highest priority in the Environmental Policy Guidelines for 2021-2027.
The Daugava River has the most populated riverbanks in Latvia (including Riga) and is one of the biggest sources of drinking water. The pollution might affect up to 700'000 residents. In addition, the Daugava flows into the Baltic Sea and the pollution threatens its water quality and ecosystem. The remediation of the nationally prioritized oil-contaminated site in Aizkraukle will thus prevent further pollution emission into the groundwater and the Daugava River.
The Programme is coordinated by the Ministry of Climate and Energy and will be implemented by the State Environmental Service in partnership with the landowner - Aizkraukle municipality.
Switzerland contributes 12.2 million Swiss francs to this Programme.
