Foreign Investors’ Council in Latvia (FICIL) kindly invites Members of the SCCL to the “Back to the Future” public panel discussion taking place on the 26th of May. The discussion regarding the potential risks and opportunities in  making the attractive environment for business and investments in Latvia.
During the discussion the FICIL in collaboration with other experts and policy makers will assess the progress achieved in the development of the business environment in Latvia during the past ten years, as well as discuss the risks and the measures that require immediate attention in order to prevent investment decrease. 
The number of foreign investments in Latvia continues to decline. The main strategies that will allow for a stable and reliable public image of Latvia in the eyes of prospective investors and entrepreneurs are well known and need to be urgently taken into consideration. During the discussion issues regarding the rule of law and the security of the investments in the Latvian business environment will be addressed and further analysed. The experts will also tackle labour force challenges: productivity, availability and qualification. 
Within the context of these challenges the issue of Latvia’s invitation to join the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) will also be brought up, with the aim of further examining whether or not Latvia has achieved true convergence with the developed economies as well as whether the country is prepared to fully benefit from the opportunities that are made available by the OECD.

DISCUSSION
Time: 13:00-17:00
Venue: Radisson Blu Hotel Latvija, Elizabetes 55
Admission: free of charge
Language: The discussion will be held in English with simultaneous interpretation into Latvian
Registration: to FICIL
 

RECEPTION
Time: 18:00 - 20:00
Venue: BIBLIOTEKA No 1 Restaurant, Terbatas 2, Riga
Admission: 20 EUR
To mark the 20th High Council meeting with the Government of Latvia FICIL is holding a reception on 26 May 2016 at 18:00. Similar to previous years, members of the Chambers are invited to attend.
Registration: ficil@ficil.lv  

PROGRAMME OF THE PANEL DISCUSSION:
13:00 – 13:30 Introduction by Ģirts Greiškalns, FICIL Executive Director
13:30 – 14:35 PANEL DISCUSSION “RULE OF LAW – AN ESSENTIAL PREREQUISITE FOR ECONOMIC GROWTH”
Moderator Mr Māris Vainovskis, leader of the FICIL court system efficiency and investment protection work group, “Eversheds Bitāns” Senior Partner
 

Mr Dzintars Rasnačs, Minister for Justice of the Republic of Latvia
Mr Stephen Oldfield, FICIL Honorary Chairman, “PricewaterhouseCoopers UK” Partner
Dr. iur. Jānis Neimanis, Judge of the Department of Administrative Cases of the Supreme Court of the Republic of Latvia

 
14:35 – 15:40 PANEL DISCUSSION “TACKLING LATVIA’S LABOUR FORCE CHALLENGE: BUSINESS PERSPECTIVE”
Moderator Mr Kaspars Kauliņš, leader of the FICIL Labour issues work group, “Pedersen&Partners” Country Manager
 

Mr Arvils Ašeradens, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister for Economics of the Republic of Latvia
Ms Baiba Rubess, “RB Rail” Chairperson of the Board, former Chairperson of the FICIL Board
Mr Uldis Rutkaste, Head of Monetary Policy Department at the Bank of Latvia
Mr Valts Ābols, FICIL Board Member, leader of the FICIL Healthcare work group, “GlaxoSmithKline Latvija” Board Member

 
15:40 – 16:00 Coffee break
16:00 – 17:05 PANEL DISCUSSION “LATVIA’S PASS TO OECD: ARE WE THERE YET?”
Moderator Ms Zlata Elksniņa-Zaščirinska, FICIL Chairperson of the Board, "PricewaterhouseCoopers Latvija” Chairperson of the Board
 

Mr Edgars Rinkēvičs, Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Latvia
Mr Mārtiņš Kazāks, “Swedbank” Chief Economist in Latvia
Ms Daiga Auziņa-Melalksne, “Nasdaq Riga” CEO
Mr Norbert Siebels, FICIL Board Member, “Klasmann-Deilmann Group” Managing Director

Foreign Investors' Council in Latvia

 Strelnieku Street 1-3,  Riga, LV-1010, Latvia

ficil@ficil.lv   +371 67 217 201