No. 37/2026

The Court Administration reports that since July 1, 2026, part of the mandatory obligation-enforcement warning procedure (SPIBK) has run fully automated, from application registration to decision drafting, without court staff involvement. Between July 1 and September 7, courts received 14,061 applications, registered and assessed 13,238 cases, and completed 2,067 cases, of which 1,540 decisions were generated entirely automatically after the debtor's response deadline expired. 823 applications were rejected due to Civil Procedure Law restrictions (invalid address, incapacity, deceased debtor, etc.). Over 233,000 SPIBK applications were filed in all of 2025, and nearly 150,000 in the first half of 2026 alone.

NRA.lv reports on the unfinished home of the Kalnozols family in Ropaži, which has gone to auction over unpaid real-estate tax debt. Sworn bailiff Raimonds Mežiņš held a first auction in late August with a starting price of €266,000, but the property did not sell. The family disputes the municipality's tax valuation and says nearly €500,000 was invested in the house, which is being auctioned for less than €300,000.

An LV portāls legal Q&A addresses a creditor trying to collect roughly €700 in phone-bill debt from an estate ten years after the debtor's death. It notes commercial claims generally carry a three-year limitation period under the Commercial Law, interruptible by a reminder or acknowledgment of debt, but the key question is whether the creditor timely filed a claim in the inheritance proceeding. Since it is unclear whether an inheritance case was ever opened, the advice is to consult a sworn notary to determine whether the creditor's rights have lapsed.

The Court Administration and partners from Germany, Austria, Spain, the Netherlands and Greece have launched the "D-Rex 1" project to develop secure, interoperable digital solutions for cross-border judicial cooperation. Latvia, Germany, Spain and Greece shared experience implementing e-CODEX solutions for transmitting electronic evidence and court documents, while Austria and the Netherlands presented their own digital infrastructure approaches. The project covers technical implementation, user training and cross-border system testing; no specific duration or budget was disclosed publicly.

MKD published the results of its first-half-2026 inspections of insolvency administrators' compliance with the anti-money-laundering/counter-terrorism-financing law and the sanctions law. The most common issues were incomplete documentation, weak internal control systems and inadequate client due diligence; four administrators received guidance for minor breaches, and one case resulted in a formal sanctions report for failing to report a suspicious transaction. MKD notes the pattern of violations is largely unchanged from 2024-2025.

At a conference on September 9, around 150 participants discussed the future of insolvency policy, emphasizing a shift from a "liquidation culture" to a "rescue culture" focused on early detection of financial trouble and preserving viable businesses. The Insolvency Control Service will cease operating on September 30, 2026, with its functions transferring to the Ministry of Justice and the Court Administration from October 1. Officials named four priorities: balancing process speed with oversight, closer inter-agency coordination, developing the EMUS register into an analytical tool, and reviewing board-member liability rules.

Citadele Bank announced that for clients declared missing in the Nepal disaster, collection of credit-obligation payments will be suspended and no late fees, contractual penalties or debt-recovery action will be applied until relatives arrange guardianship. To access account information, relatives must first establish temporary guardianship over the missing person's estate.

Swedbank announced that for clients missing in the Nepal disaster, collection of mortgage principal and interest payments will be suspended for 12 months, and credit-card interest and daily fees waived. To access detailed account information and act on the client's behalf, relatives must obtain temporary guardianship through a court, which processes such applications within days.

BB.LV reports that the Latvian Stevedoring Companies Association (LSA) warns that banning transit of Russian and Belarusian grain through Latvia could expose local firms, including state companies, to claims worth hundreds of millions of euros for breach of already-signed contracts. The association calls for assessing the economic and legal consequences before any decision, noting Latvia's infrastructure also carries grain belonging to major international traders, including US companies.

LSM.lv reports that after a repeated extraordinary shareholders' meeting, a decision was made to liquidate Rēzekne-based power-tool maker "Rebir," which had operated for nearly 60 years. The company's board chair said sanctions on Russia and Belarus — its largest market — were decisive, and attempts to find alternative export routes via Turkey and Kazakhstan failed. The company was part of the Rēzekne Special Economic Zone.

Since 1 July 2026 the Anti-Money Laundering Law has allowed a beneficial owner to ask the Enterprise Register, free of charge, to conceal their data if publication would endanger life, health or property. The Register hides the data within one business day for up to a month while the request is reviewed, and the protection must be renewed annually. The data remains accessible to law enforcement and supervisory authorities.

IR.lv reports that airBaltic has agreed to costly interim financing — up to €257 million at a 25% annual rate via a senior bond issue to existing bondholders — which PM Andris Kulbergs called the last option to save the company in the first phase of recapitalization.

Draft amendments to the Industrial Property Institutions and Procedures Law would let the Industrial Property Appeal Board (RIAP) declare a registered design invalid administratively, instead of the dispute being resolved only in general courts. Public consultation runs until 15 September, and the amendments, implementing EU Directive 2024/2823, must apply by 7 December 2027.

LSM.lv reports that over the past two years, state and municipal bodies spent nearly half a billion euros on IT procurement, with only one bidder participating in roughly a fifth of these tenders. In early summer the prime minister suspended major IT procurements, noting that almost 40% of them were served by just three companies. Officials responsible for the sector are in no hurry to assign blame, acknowledging the situation is not much better elsewhere in the EU.

SPRK has set up a special regulatory environment (a "regulatory sandbox") allowing limited-term testing of innovative solutions with regulatory exemptions in a defined area. Here, Salaspils Siltums, together with grid operator Sadales tīkls and data-centre operator Tet, will test large-scale heat-pump technology to recover waste heat from a data centre for Salaspils district heating, including use of spare grid capacity without the usual additional-capacity tariff. The test period runs from January 1, 2027 to December 31, 2028, with a possible one-year extension, with SPRK retaining oversight.

LSM.lv reports that the European Commission has published draft legislation that would let public procurement favor the most environmentally friendly, highest-quality, or EU-made bid rather than automatically the cheapest. It plans a unified electronic procurement system meant to ease small and mid-sized firms' access to public contracts and broaden competition among suppliers.

Advocate General Andrea Biondi issued an opinion on September 8 in joined cases C-271/25 and C-334/25, concluding that member states may exclude economic operators from public procurement on national security grounds, provided EU-law principles are respected — proportionality, rights of defence and effective judicial protection. Case C-334/25 was referred by Lithuania's Supreme Court over the exclusion of "Skinest Baltija" from a railway procurement based on 2018 government decisions. The opinion is not binding on the Court but sets an important reference point for Baltic procurement practice, including Latvia's, in applying security-based exclusions.

The Procurement Monitoring Bureau has issued a standardized form for contracting authorities to submit data and assessments on the utility of planned or launched procurements and the proportionality of supplier requirements. The form implements a task set by the Cabinet of Ministers' August 25, 2026 meeting (Protocol No. 48, item 53) and has been available since September 8 in Excel format. The notice does not clearly state for which authorities use of the form is mandatory.

Since September 1, Latvia bans imports of several categories of Russian- and Belarusian-origin industrial goods — including books, newspapers, video games, sporting goods, toys, clothing and footwear — even via third countries. The Cabinet of Ministers issued the ban under regulations based on amendments to the Ukraine Civil Support Law fast-tracked by the Saeima on July 23. The restriction is planned to run through June 30, 2027.

Rus.lsm.lv reports that PM Andris Kulbergs said after a coalition meeting that the government plans a 300% tariff on cargo and grain handling from Russia and Belarus, and will develop mechanisms to identify and sanction transit of grain potentially stolen by Russia from Ukraine. The move follows Estonia's PM urging the Baltic states to take a unified stance so Russian grain does not exploit Latvia's infrastructure.

On September 8, 2026, the Cabinet of Ministers adopted Regulation No. 533 setting the business-risk state fee for 2027 at EUR 0.36 per month for each employee under an employment relationship. Part of the fee is paid into the employees' claims guarantee fund, which compensates workers when an employer becomes insolvent. The regulation, issued under the Law on Protection of Employees in Case of Employer Insolvency, takes effect January 1, 2027 and expires January 1, 2028.

The paywalled article explains an employer's options when a departing employee fails to hand over documentation and work information as agreed, citing Civil Law Section 1587 on the performance of obligations.

LV portāls explains the difference between labor exploitation and a civil labor dispute. Exploitation involves intent to exploit a victim's dependency, while an individual labor dispute under the Labour Disputes Law concerns disagreements over employment terms such as wages or dismissal, where the worker retains the ability to go to court or the State Labour Inspectorate. The article stresses that in labor-rights violations the worker keeps agency, which exploitation removes.

The paywalled article analyses the legal risks of a Latvian company hiring self-employed construction workers through a Lithuanian intermediary company, and possible alternative arrangements.

An LV portāls consultation, citing Interior Ministry guidance, addresses a state-administration employee with 18 years of service and over two years of continuous employment. Under the State and Municipal Institutions' Officials' and Employees' Remuneration Law, such an employee is entitled to a severance payment equal to four months' average earnings upon termination; service is treated as continuous with breaks of up to two years between state positions.

The paywalled article discusses whether an employer or employee may terminate the same employment contract more than once, referencing Section 101.1 of the Labour Law and Civil Law rules on unilateral termination.

LV portāls published a guide on managing apartment buildings, explaining owners' obligations and the property manager's role. Under the Apartment Property Law, owners jointly maintain common property and decisions require majority approval at owners' meetings. The guide distinguishes property managers from maintenance contractors and notes the requirement to keep a building file in the Construction Information System (BIS).

On 8 September 2026 the Cabinet of Ministers approved amendments simplifying the procedure for expropriating real estate for public projects such as roads and railways. Where the owner agrees, the responsible institution will be able to offer a purchase agreement immediately, without a separate government decision. The amendments still require Saeima approval.

A BB.LV legal Q&A answers how a tenant planning to renovate a rented apartment in order to later buy it can protect their interests if the landlord changes their mind about selling after the renovation. The lawyer advises signing a separate agreement — an addendum to the lease, ideally through a notary — recording the owner's consent to sell once financing is secured.

The paywalled article explains that an apartment owners' association may terminate a house manager's contract at any time without proving misconduct, citing the 2026 Senate ruling No. SKC-14/2026 on the handover procedure.

The European Commission has put forward an "Affordable Housing Act" proposal to help member states and municipalities tackle the housing affordability crisis. It offers local authorities legal clarity on what housing-policy measures are permissible within the EU single market, including cases where properties in tourist areas are not used as primary residences. The initiative complements the EU short-term rental rules in force since May 2026 and now moves into the ordinary legislative procedure before Parliament and Council; the Commission cites Eurobarometer data showing over half of EU urban residents see affordable housing as an urgent concern.

The government has backed amendments removing the need for a separate Cabinet of Ministers decision, after fair compensation is set, before the responsible authority can offer a property owner a voluntary sale agreement for expropriation for public needs (e.g. roads, railways). The change is expected to speed up the process by roughly a month and reduce red tape in large projects such as Rail Baltica, which previously required over 100 Cabinet decisions. Where a voluntary agreement cannot be reached, the existing procedure involving the Cabinet and Saeima still applies; the bill still needs Saeima approval.

An LV portāls consultation examines a case where the Ropaži municipality refused to renew a lease for a tenant who held a first-refusal right under the contract. It notes a contractual right is not an automatic guarantee of a new lease — the municipality must evaluate each request individually under administrative procedure; the decision can be appealed to the housing commission or municipal council.

An LV portāls consultation clarifies that a written notice from an apartment owner about defects found during the warranty period, requesting their remedy, retains legal force regardless of whether the owners' assembly later adopts a separate decision on it. The answer rests on the Apartment Property Law, which lets each owner raise a defect claim individually; a lack of a collective decision does not by itself strip the notice of legal effect.

The paywalled article answers a reader's question on whether the State Revenue Service, when issuing an outsourced accountant's licence, assesses the qualification obtained or the study programme content.

The article describes proposed amendments to Latvia's Corporate Income Tax Law adding new paragraphs 9 and 10 to Article 15, introducing counter-corrections for cross-border related-party transactions. The rules in force since 2018 allow only transfer-pricing corrections that increase the Latvian taxable base; the new mechanism would let a foreign related party voluntarily increase its own base, directly relieving double taxation without the previous procedure under tax treaties' Article 25 or the EU Arbitration Convention, which typically took 2-3 years.

Also reported by: ifinanses.lv

LV portāls explains cash-transaction limits for individuals under the Law on Taxes and Duties. Transactions above €7,200 must use non-cash payment and cannot be split into smaller cash payments to bypass the limit; real estate deals may not use cash at all, regardless of amount. A State Revenue Service (VID) official notes the rule applies regardless of the counterparty's status.

LSM.lv reports that the Saeima's Budget and Finance Committee advanced to final reading a plan for a new "starter micro-business tax" of 10% of revenue for people earning small side income, e.g. from private lessons or minor repairs. A person would open a business-income account from which the tax is withheld automatically, with VID informed without a separate declaration. The aim is to encourage legalizing currently unregistered side income.

The Competition Council found that Latvia's three largest food retail chains — Rimi Latvia, Maxima Latvija and Lidl Latvija — largely passed on in full the planned 7.4% price cut following introduction of the reduced 12% VAT rate on milk, bread, eggs and poultry. The actual average price drop reached 8.32%, exceeding the target in several categories. The Council will continue monitoring through year-end and publish final results in January 2027.

BB.LV reports that Latvia's Competition Council checked the three largest retail chains — Rimi, Maxima and Lidl — after VAT was cut on bread, milk, eggs and poultry. Its preliminary finding: the largest grocery chains mostly passed the full VAT-cut effect on to consumers, with average prices falling even more than expected.

On 10 September the European Central Bank unanimously raised its key interest rates by 0.25 percentage points, taking the deposit rate to 2.50%. The ECB forecasts eurozone inflation at 3.0% in 2026, and markets are pricing in three more rate hikes through summer 2027. Higher rates will make borrowing, including EURIBOR-linked loans in Latvia, more expensive.

The Consumer Rights Protection Centre fined SIA "D6 Group" 6,000 euros for persistently offering and selling package tourism services, including trips to Madeira and Poland, without a tour-operator license or client deposit protection. The company marketed trips via the website "advaitaadventures.lv" and social media. The breach concerns Tourism Law requirements for special authorization and traveler guarantees.

LSM.lv reports that the European Central Bank decided on September 10 to raise interest rates by 0.25 percentage points, responding to energy-price rises from the Iran war — the second hike this year. The main refinancing rate rose to 2.65% and the deposit rate to 2.5%. Economists expect this to be the year's last increase, but note it will hit mortgage borrowers hardest, raising payments on existing loans and making new ones costlier.

NRA.lv reports that the Consumer Rights Protection Centre (PTAC) fined SIA "D6 Group" €6,000 for operating as an unlicensed tour operator. Through the website advaitaadventures.lv and social media, the company offered and sold package tours, including to Madeira and Poland, without the required special license or mandatory traveler deposit protection. PTAC warns consumers to check that a tour operator is licensed before booking.

The paywalled article reports that the European Commission fined AliExpress €550 million on 20 July 2026 for Digital Services Act violations linked to risks from non-compliant goods on the platform.

An LV portāls consultation notes that under the Consumer Rights Protection Law, when goods are found non-conforming, the buyer first has the right to choose repair or replacement rather than immediately demanding a refund. A refund can be demanded only if the seller fails to fix the defect within a reasonable time or the defect is especially severe.

On September 8, the Saeima's Budget and Finance (Tax) Committee backed amendments to the Financial Instruments Market Law and the Payment Services and Electronic Money Law that would let parents or guardians open and manage children's payment accounts regardless of age, and create new "coming-of-age investment accounts" that can be opened from age one, restricted to simple financial instruments. A child gains independent control of the payment account at 16 and of the investment account at majority; funds cannot secure obligations, and early withdrawal requires court approval. The amendments still need final Saeima approval.

BB.LV reports that a conflict between the Bank of Latvia and representatives of agriculture, forestry and fisheries has reached the political level — 19 industry organizations sent an open letter to the president and government criticizing the central bank's guidance for commercial banks on assessing business activities' impact on biodiversity. The dispute has run since mid-summer but has now gone public.

BB.LV reports that Hungary's OTP Bank, which plans to buy Luminor Bank, has only begun the regulatory approval process — as of last week, documents had not yet reached Estonia's supervisors or the European Central Bank, though the application was later filed simultaneously in several countries. The Bank of Latvia points to heightened reputational risks tied to OTP's continued operations in Russia, stressing the deal still needs national supervisors' and the ECB's approval.

PTAC reminded consumers that claims for reimbursement over cancelled or partially completed trips with SIA "DIGITOURS" must be filed by September 12. The notice targets travelers affected by the operator's failure to fulfill its obligations. Missing the deadline may forfeit the right to compensation from the security deposit fund.

DVI explains that a missing person's personal data may be disclosed to relatives or to service providers (creditors, banks, utilities) under the GDPR's legitimate-interest ground (Article 6(1)(f)) when needed to settle urgent payments or obligations. Providers must verify the requester's identity, family relationship and the person's missing status, and apply data minimization. The aim is to prevent debt accumulation or contractual penalties while disclosing only what is strictly necessary.

LSM.lv reports that a cyberattack on TSC, an LMT-group appliance and device repair company, exposed roughly 7% of customer data — mainly names, email addresses and phone numbers of clients who submitted repair requests via its website. LMT's own databases were unaffected, and the company temporarily closed its website for security reasons. Its head said compensation would be assessed case by case.

PRESS.LV reports that CERT.LV is warning about fallout from a CSDD (Road Traffic Safety Directorate) data breach in which an attacker obtained customers' names, personal ID codes, payment amounts and dates, vehicle registration numbers and service-time addresses; phone numbers, emails, banking details and e-CSDD login data were not stolen. Since the incident, residents increasingly report suspicious letters, texts and calls, including fake debt or unpaid-fine notices, though no direct proof yet links specific cases to the leak.

The 11th regional judges' seminar took place September 8-9 in Priekuļi, bringing together representatives of Baltic and European courts, the Industrial Property Board of Appeal, WIPO, EUIPO and the EPO to discuss recent European and national case law on intellectual property enforcement. Topics included the interaction between AI and copyright, trade-secret protection, patent dispute adjudication and trademark protection developments; participants worked through practical litigation scenarios in group exercises, stressing the need for consistent case law amid fast-moving technology.

The article summarises the steps a company should take after a cybersecurity incident: notify management, isolate affected systems, conduct a risk analysis, and report to supervisory authorities within statutory deadlines. Under the National Cybersecurity Law, incidents must be reported to CERT.LV within 24 hours, 72 hours and one month; GDPR requires notifying the Data State Inspectorate within 72 hours where the breach poses a risk to individuals' rights. Violations carry administrative fines of up to EUR 20 million or 4% of turnover under GDPR and up to EUR 10 million or 2% under the cybersecurity law, plus possible liability under Criminal Law Article 245.

An LV portāls consultation, citing guidance from the Data State Inspectorate, states that naming an employee in a work document is not in itself a personal-data violation. Processing the name must have a lawful basis and legitimate purpose, such as accountability or letting the public contact the responsible official; whether it is permissible depends on the document type, job duties, and the institution's internal procedures.

Riga Graduate School of Law (RGSL) has been selected to join a Council of Europe consultancy framework on tackling disinformation, running through 2030. RGSL will contribute expertise in European law, human rights and digital regulation to help states improve legislation while safeguarding freedom of expression and media freedom.

RGSL researchers will join three European COST Action research networks for 2026-2030: HARPA on privacy in AI development, "Moving Data for Europe" on data mobility across Europe, and STONE on steward-ownership models.

DVI clarifies that a service provider may refuse service only if it can justify an objective need for the specific data requested. Merely listing data fields in a contract or application form does not automatically make providing them mandatory. The guidance reiterates the GDPR data-minimization principle: businesses may only collect data necessary for a specific purpose, not for convenience or established practice.

NRA.lv reports that the EU's Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA) has imposed strict licensing requirements on crypto firms — capital reserves, compliance certification, cybersecurity and anti-money-laundering measures. Many small companies and startups in Estonia, Poland and elsewhere in the EU face a choice between costly compliance or relocating to jurisdictions such as the UAE, Georgia or the US. The article concludes the rules are consolidating the market around larger, better-capitalized players, dampening innovation and entrepreneurship in Latvia and the EU.

PRESS.LV reports that an IT expert checked on social media what data the Rimi supermarket chain receives when using Smart-ID for age verification, after followers asked whether Rimi was "stealing" customer data. The expert found that Rimi receives the customer's exact age rather than just an 18+ confirmation, questioning why the store needs the precise age when a simple age-threshold confirmation would suffice.

Rus.lsm.lv reports that a draft Architecture Law approved by the government this week could shift the balance of power on Latvia's construction sites. For architects it's a win against poor-quality "fast construction" and hangar buildings, while developers warn of new bureaucracy and price increases that could slow the industry. Both sides agree on the need to curb "self-proclaimed architects," whose market share is already estimated in nine figures.

Amendments to the National Security Law took effect on September 9, allowing the National Armed Forces to temporarily take control (not ownership) of state, municipal or private real property during a military threat. The seizure can last up to 14 days, extendable by the Cabinet of Ministers for another 14 days; owners may challenge the decision in administrative court and are entitled to compensation for damages.

The European Commission has drafted a new Public Procurement Regulation that would merge three existing directives into one directly applicable regulation and introduce a single digital marketplace for EU procurement procedures. Quality criteria would have to account for at least 30% of scoring (50% for labour-intensive contracts), with new requirements on supply-chain security and EU preference rules. The regulation still needs approval from the European Parliament and Council.

The European Commission has proposed a European Innovation Act providing for a unified EU system to value intellectual property, a digital marketplace for IP buyers and sellers, common R&D procurement procedures, and standardised regulatory sandboxes for testing new products. No specific implementation timeline is given yet.

The State Revenue Service's review lists tax-related legal acts adopted in August 2026: new rules on VID information systems (Cabinet Regulation No. 428) in force from 5 August, amendments on reimbursing business-trip costs under EU fund projects (No. 969) from 18 August, and from 1 September, changes to natural resource tax exemptions (No. 64) and an extended ban on importing industrial goods from Russia and Belarus (No. 509).

Amendments submitted to the Saeima would extend the ban on importing Russian- and Belarusian-origin food products, including confectionery, sauces and preserves, under the Agriculture and Rural Development Law. The ban would also cover goods routed into Latvia via third countries to close circumvention routes. No effective date has been set yet.

PRESS.LV reports that draft legislative amendments would require on-demand electronic media, including streaming platforms like Netflix, Amazon and Disney serving Latvian residents, to invest annually in European audiovisual production. The requirement would apply both to Latvia-registered providers and platforms registered abroad, with three ways to comply, including direct investment in Latvian-language European works.

On 10 September 2026 the Supreme Court Senate declined to open cassation proceedings in a case on demolishing a building in Jūrmala's cultural-historical protection zone, where the Administrative Regional Court had found the municipality's and the heritage inspectorate's refusal disproportionate. During the proceedings the monument's status changed from national to local significance, moving the matter into municipal competence and leaving the inspectorate without standing to appeal. As a result, the owner's right to demolish the building stood.

Juristavards.lv reports that the Senate's Administrative Cases Department declined to initiate cassation proceedings in a case over an owner's request to demolish a residential building and place a cottage in its stead within Jūrmala's protected cultural-historical area.

The article analyses two CJEU rulings (cases C-163/24 and C-293/24) on state liability when a national court fails to refer a preliminary question to the CJEU. The Court held that liability arises only when this is combined with a breach of an EU law provision that grants rights to individuals. A failure to refer alone does not trigger state liability.

On 8 September 2026 the Constitutional Court resumed a case on whether a Commercial Register Law provision requiring publication of all shareholders' personal data, including minority shareholders, complies with the Constitution. Proceedings had been stayed pending a CJEU preliminary ruling, which on 3 September found that EU law does not require publishing all shareholders' data and that doing so without checking a legitimate interest breaches the GDPR. A hearing is scheduled for 13 October 2026.

LSM.lv reports that the EU General Court on Wednesday rejected Russian businessman Roman Abramovich's third attempt to overturn EU sanctions imposed on him in 2022 over Russia's war in Ukraine. The court found the listing lawful because Abramovich held stakes in metals companies Evraz and Norilsk Nickel, which provided substantial revenue to the Russian government. Since the war began, the EU has sanctioned nearly 3,000 people and entities, freezing more than €28 billion.

The CJEU, in case C-298/23, examined a Belgian political party's campaign that used the "IKEA" brand for an immigration-policy message without the trademark owner's consent. The Court ruled that invoking freedom of expression alone is not sufficient justification for using a well-known trademark, and that good faith and the owner's interests must also be weighed. The case was referred back to the national court.

The CJEU Advocate General issued an opinion in cases C-271/25 and C-334/25 confirming that member states may set exclusion grounds in public procurement on national-security grounds, provided such rules comply with the EU proportionality principle. In Latvia this function is performed by the Procurement Monitoring Bureau. The CJEU's final judgment is still pending.

On September 8 the Constitutional Court resumed proceedings in case No. 2024-01-01 concerning a Commercial Register Law provision that requires mandatory disclosure of capital company shareholders' personal data. The move follows the CJEU's September 3 ruling in case C-798/24 "Jautiva", which found EU law does not require disclosing all shareholders' data, including minority holders, without an assessed legitimate interest. A written-procedure hearing is set for October 13.

The Riga Regional Court dismissed a defamation claim over public statements made about litigation between a private individual and a representative of the Latvia Academy of Sciences; the plaintiff had sought retraction and compensation. The court found the statements to be opinion rather than factual assertions, falling within the bounds of freedom of expression. The 14 May 2026 judgment became final after the Supreme Court refused to open cassation proceedings.

The Judicial Council has reappointed Miķelis Zumbergs as chairman of the Economic Affairs Court for another five-year term. The court has handled complex commercial cases since 2021, including large-scale civil disputes and corruption cases. The reappointment ensures continuity of leadership at the court.

Justice Minister Edvards Smiltēns summarized the government's first 100 days in the justice area, citing the planned court-jurist institute to ease judges' caseload, proposed amendments to the Administrative Procedure Law for faster case handling and remote participation, and a Unified Construction Registration Service launching January 1, 2027, that will consolidate multi-agency property registration into one submission. The report also mentions a "pay faster, pay less" principle for administrative fines, letting payers settle 80% of a fine within a set deadline.

BB.LV reports that Latvia's Academy of Justice has begun training 17 new judges from various regions, specializing in civil, criminal and administrative law. The program's goal is to prepare judges both professionally and emotionally to administer justice lawfully and independently; the course includes mock trials and analysis of court rulings.

The Constitutional Court published its August 2026 activity report, recording 20 petitions received, 19 of them from private individuals. Three new cases were initiated, including one on compensation for unjustified property seizure, while 17 petitions were refused, some touching on civil procedure and insolvency matters. Twelve cases remain in preparation.

On 7 September the University of Latvia Faculty of Law held its annual "September Conversation on International Law", where visiting professor Mārtiņš Paparinskis, a member and special rapporteur of the UN International Law Commission, spoke about state officials' immunity from foreign criminal jurisdiction and general principles of law. The event also awarded the Kristīne Krūma memorial scholarship to a Faculty master's student.