On 22 September 2026, a Steering Committee meeting of the Baltics Catching-up Regions Initiative (CuRI Baltics) was held at the Media Hall of Vienības nams in Daugavpils. The meeting brought together representatives of the Latgale Planning Region (LPR) and the Latgale Special Economic Zone (Latgale SEZ), experts from the World Bank and the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Regional and Urban Policy (DG REGIO), as well as representatives of national institutions, municipalities and other organisations involved in regional development. The meeting was chaired by Andris Skrastiņš, representing the European Commission’s DG REGIO.
The meeting reviewed the progress achieved to date under the CuRI initiative in Latgale and Vidzeme and discussed the next steps. Particular attention was devoted to human capital development, including analysis of the Latgale labour market, value chain development and the creation of more and better jobs, as well as the further development of the Regional Skills Partnership.
The World Bank’s analysis points to structural differences between the labour market in Latgale and that of Latvia as a whole. Further work will therefore include an in-depth analysis of labour demand and supply, skills mismatches and other labour market constraints at both regional and municipal levels.
Another key part of the meeting focused on business support and financial instruments. Discussions covered access to finance for businesses, the development of a pipeline of investment-ready projects, strengthening SMEs’ export readiness and market diversification, the potential establishment of a regional business one-stop shop, and stronger linkages between SMEs and larger regional companies.
A significant part of the next phase of CuRI will focus on strengthening the role and business support functions of special economic zones in Latgale. The Action Plan foresees separate assessments of the Latgale SEZ and Rēzekne SEZ, including an analysis of the attractiveness of their regulatory frameworks for new and growing companies, sector potential, the needs of businesses and investors, and the business support services provided by the SEZs. The work will also assess demand for serviced, investment-ready industrial sites and infrastructure, while identifying specific constraints affecting the implementation of investment projects.
The strategic objective of the CuRI Business Support and Financial Instruments Action Plan is to strengthen Latgale’s economy by developing its manufacturing and export base, supporting firm upgrading and market diversification, strengthening institutional capacity, and improving investment readiness.
Additional information:
Latgale SEZ Administration
E-mail: lsez@lpr.gov.lv
Tel.: +371 29957750
