Legislation

The association Delna reminds readers that the Law on Transparency of Interest Representation provides for an official register and declaration system that will start operating on 1 September 2028. In the transitional period anyone who represents their own or another party's interests in dealings with public authorities may register voluntarily in the list kept by the Enterprise Register. Fewer than 30 organisations are registered so far, so Delna urges businesses and other representatives to prepare now.

Sorainen's roundup of developments from 7–20 October covers amendments to several laws – on electronic mass media, copyright, consumer protection and electronic communications – plus new product-liability rules. It also surveys Constitutional Court matters, including shareholder data disclosure, a Senate ruling on criminal-procedure transitional provisions, and changes removing insolvency administrators from AML and sanctions-monitoring duties.

The amendments widen local councils' standing before the Constitutional Court: a council may also challenge a Cabinet decision suspending a municipal territorial plan or local plan. The procedure for accepting such applications is clarified, and a person may file subject to the process set out in the Territorial Development Planning Law. The Saeima adopted the law on 15 October and it was promulgated on 22 October.

A new Article 72.6 requires fuel retailers whose stations meet set continuity criteria to ensure alternative power and communications so fuel can be dispensed during outages; the Cabinet will set the criteria and deadlines. The transitional rules on acquiring oil-product security reserves are also amended, with the administrator to complete purchases by 31 December 2028.

On 22 October the Saeima adopted in final reading amendments to the Electronic Communications Law introducing national roaming for emergencies: if one operator's network (LMT, Tele2 or Bite) goes down, subscribers will be able to connect to another operator's network. The new rules take effect on 1 July 2027.

The article explains that if the official gazette Latvijas Vēstnesis is unable, due to unforeseen circumstances, to publish laws passed by the Saeima, they can instead be announced through an older, legally provided alternative method. The arrangement is meant to keep laws taking effect on schedule even if technical problems occur.

On 22 October the Saeima adopted, in its second and final reading, amendments to its Rules of Procedure creating a faster track for legislative packages dealing solely with institutional reorganisation. In such cases, the first-reading debate and vote cover the whole package at once, with a single deadline for proposals and narrower scope for added amendments. The change's backer, the Bureaucracy Reduction Group (BAG), says it will speed up passing necessary law changes.

On 22 October the Saeima adopted in final reading, as urgent, amendments to the Electronic Communications Law introducing national roaming. If one mobile operator's network is down for a long time another operator will carry traffic, activated by a decision of the crisis management authority. Operators must have national roaming capability in place by 1 July of next year.

On 21 October the Saeima's Economic Committee backed for third reading amendments to the Road Traffic Law that ease completion of the joint accident statement. Drivers will be able to fill it in also where more than two vehicles are involved or third-party property is damaged, provided the State Police allow it after contacting them. The cases in which police must be notified are clarified, for instance injury to a wild animal or suspected intoxication.

The agenda of the Cabinet sitting of 20 October, where items are marked as adopted, included amendments to the energy communities registration and operation rules (Cabinet Regulation No. 808 of 10.12.2024), the justice minister's report on improving the quality of Latvian national patents, and the sale of state property at Kuģinieku iela 2 in Ventspils. Draft Latvian positions in EU Court of Justice cases C-46/26 and C-610/26 were also approved. Consideration of a draft order declaring a state of emergency was postponed by a week.

Amendments to the Protection Zones Law took effect on 20 October 2026, widening the tree-free corridor along 110 kV overhead lines in forests to 18 metres each side (previously 13 m) while the protection zone stays at 35 m. The new requirement must be met by 31 December 2029, and compensation is provided for the restriction on land use. The change follows the August storm, in which falling trees caused most damage to such lines.

Amendments drafted by the Economy Ministry would require large food retailers, on a press distributor's request, to sell newspapers and magazines in stores above a certain size. The aim is to keep print media accessible, especially in regions and rural areas. The change will affect retail chains' supply arrangements with press distributors.

LV portāls' legislative round-up of bills the Saeima referred to committees on 15 October. The lead item follows Constitutional Court judgment in case No. 2024-21-0103 and ends the state-set statutory land-use fee: a 4 % minimum stays until the end of 2031, the building owner additionally reimburses property tax, and a landowner may ask a court for a higher fee. The round-up also covers amendments to the Saeima's Rules of Procedure.

The weekly review is subscriber-only beyond its open introduction, which notes that on 15 October the Saeima adopted in third reading amendments to the Credit Institutions Law letting social services request a client's account statement from the bank, in force from 1 July 2027.

New EU rules on packaging and packaging waste have applied since 12 August 2026, setting requirements for how packaging is produced and composed and requiring it to be reusable or recyclable. From 2030 certain types of single-use packaging will be banned where more environmentally friendly alternatives exist, creating both new compliance duties and new business opportunities.

On 15 October the Saeima approved amendments to the Enterprise Register Law requiring all applications to the Register to be filed electronically via the registrs.ur.gov.lv portal from 7 January 2027, and giving the Register legal grounds to use automated decision-making. Transition periods apply to certain client groups. Only 5% of 2025 filings were still on paper, so the change formalises an already near-complete digital shift.

Also reported by: ifinanses.lv

On 15 October parliament finally passed amendments to the Civil Law establishing that animals are not "things" but living, sentient beings, while keeping their status as objects of civil rights and clarifying rules on harm done to them.

The Saeima adopted in its final reading amendments to the Law on State Social Insurance allowing voluntary contributions to count certain 1991-1995 study and childcare periods spent in Latvia toward pension and unemployment insurance records. The amendments allow contributions for time spent studying at a Latvian university and similar periods that previously were not credited.

A draft Cabinet order on the TAP legal-acts portal proposes covering unpaid state compensation for crop, fish-farming and beekeeping damage caused by wild animals - geese, swans, otters and bears - out of the budget's contingency funds. The largest unpaid amount, €251,244, relates to crop-damage compensation, while the aquaculture sector is short €209,944.

The Joint Committee of the EBA, EIOPA and ESMA published its 2027 Annual Work Programme on 13 October, naming digital operational resilience, technological innovation, sustainable finance, securitisation and cross-sectoral risk monitoring - including DORA oversight of critical ICT providers and consumer protection - as priorities. The programme backs the Commission's Savings and Investments Union goals and its regulatory-simplification agenda.

On 8 October the Saeima backed, at first reading, Copyright Law amendments that define the circle of authors of a stage work (director, set designer, choreographer, etc.) and improve civil remedies for copyright infringement. The changes add a right to a written warning and the option to claim both pecuniary and non-pecuniary damages; the bill still needs two more readings to take effect.

On 8 October the Saeima advanced, but did not finally adopt, amendments to the Film Law and the Electronic Mass Media Law that would require streaming platforms, including Netflix and Disney+, to invest at least 3.5% of last year's Latvian revenue in local film and series production. The coalition backed removing the bill's urgent status after Prime Minister Andris Kulbergs raised concerns about effects on US relations, to allow more time for debate. The bill returns to committee, with a final decision due at third reading.

On 7 October the Saeima's Legal Affairs Committee backed, at final reading, Civil Law amendments stating that animals are not things but living, sentient beings; property-law rules apply to them only insofar as compatible with their nature. The amendments also refine rules on harm caused to animals, following a collective petition signed by over 35,000 residents.

President Edgars Rinkēvičs said after a weekly meeting with PM Andris Kulbergs that work on the so-called "Netflix tax" will continue but without urgency, needing to balance the film industry's funding needs, US relations and EU requirements. He expressed confidence a long-term solution could satisfy the industry without harming strategic partnerships, though it would take more time and possibly additional work. The prime minister and relevant ministries will take part in finding that solution.

On 1 October, the Saeima adopted in final reading urgent amendments to the Agriculture and Rural Development Law extending the import ban on Russian- and Belarusian-origin goods to food products, including confectionery, sauces and preserved vegetables. The ban also covers imports routed through third countries and takes effect the day after publication.

Egita Pļaviņa, head of the Latvian Psychotherapy Association, objects to a reform that would narrow psychotherapist licensing to a medical-only framework, exclude the association from the discussion, and shrink the range of recognized therapy methods.

A Sorainen biweekly digest (8-22 September) summarizing proposed and adopted legislative changes across tax, healthcare, finance, labour, transport and other sectors. It also references Constitutional Court and Supreme Court decisions and changes to digital-services and cybersecurity regulation. The piece is a general roundup rather than a single-topic analysis.

The European Commission has opened six infringement procedures against Latvia for incompletely transposing EU directives in several areas — electricity market competition, hydrogen and gas infrastructure, prevention of human trafficking, consumers' right to repair, and industrial emissions standards. Latvia has two months to respond and complete transposition; an unsatisfactory response could see the case referred to the EU Court of Justice with possible financial penalties.

On 24 September the Saeima referred for review a new bill, the "Architecture Law", which for the first time would regulate in one act the architect and landscape architect professions, their self-governance, and municipalities' role in shaping the built environment. Discussion of such a law has been ongoing since 2006.

The Saeima adopted a new Clinical University Hospitals Law that changes these institutions' legal form from a commercial company to a derived public entity, better reflecting their public role in treatment, education and research. COBALT lawyers helped develop the reform's underlying concept on behalf of Pauls Stradiņš Clinical University Hospital. The new framework is meant to give these hospitals a more stable financing and governance model, bringing Latvia's approach closer to those used elsewhere in Europe.

Amendments to the Submissions Law in force since 1 March 2026 require a public authority to answer a submission on its merits within 10 working days instead of a month; the article describes how Riga City Council departments have been overwhelmed by AI-generated bulk submissions. Experts call for the law to be clarified to let authorities leave manifestly disproportionate and repetitive requests without further action.

The Saeima has adopted amendments to the Copyright Law that expressly include the director among the authors of a stage production, alongside the playwright, set designer, costume designer, choreographer and composer, and that strengthen civil remedies against copyright infringement.

On 22 September the Cabinet of Ministers approved a strategic goal of cutting the administrative burden on businesses by EUR 1 billion by 31 December 2028, also endorsing 16 further measures toward that target; LTRK, through its Bureaucracy Reduction Group (BAG), coordinates the effort across ministries.

Amendments to Latvia's Railway Law have entered into force allowing a much faster review of the fee for using rail infrastructure to transit grain shipped from Russia. The government hopes this will let it quickly raise the cost of such transport before the end of the year.

"Jurista Vārds" published an article by University of Latvia associate professor Edvīns Danovskis and Toms Grīnbergs on a public authority's right to leave manifestly unfounded or repetitive submissions unaddressed.

An opinion piece criticises planned amendments to environmental-impact-assessment rules that would let municipalities reject new wind-energy projects once 150 MW of capacity already exists in their territory. The author, an energy company representative, argues a uniform nationwide threshold ignores regional differences and could hold back municipal economic development, undermining Latvia's ambition to attract data centres that need cheap, domestically produced green electricity.

A bill forwarded to Saeima committees would ban storing Russian- and Belarusian-origin grain in free zones, customs warehouses and temporary storage sites, and ban related stevedoring and logistics services at Latvian ports. The ban would not apply to cargo already being handled in Latvia before the amendments take effect, provided it leaves the country by 20 September, and the Cabinet would have to report annually to the Saeima by 1 March on the measures' economic impact.

At its sitting on 17 September 2026, the Saeima adopted amendments to the Electronic Mass Media Law and the Film Law that will require large streaming platforms to invest annually in the development of Latvian cinema.

The Cabinet of Ministers plans to submit Railway Transport Law amendments to the Saeima for expedited passage, in both readings at once, implementing the promised 300% tariff on transit carriage of Russian-origin grain. The new rates would not apply to cargo already being transshipped at ports and rail hubs under existing contracts, and the Prime Minister estimates the tariff would realistically take effect about three weeks after passage.

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.

An iBizness article (Artūrs Freibergs) on the amendments to the Tourism Law that entered into force on 10 July 2026 and implement EU Regulation 2024/1028 on data collection in short-term accommodation rental services. The law introduces the term "business tourism" and new requirements for short-term accommodation landlords (on Airbnb, Booking and other platforms) to provide data, and simplifies the granting of resort status to municipalities. The article is paywalled.

On 3 September the Saeima supported, in the first reading, amendments to the Spatial Development Planning Law transferring the power to suspend municipal spatial plans from the Minister for Environmental Protection and Regional Development to the Cabinet of Ministers as a collegial body. Sectoral ministries will be obliged to inform the responsible minister if a plan's solutions threaten state interests in the fields of security, defence, energy, climate or the environment. The draft law still has to be examined in the final reading; no entry-into-force date has been set.

The Ministry of Finance has drafted amendments to the Law on Annual Reports and Consolidated Annual Reports setting new thresholds for preparing a sustainability report: the obligation will apply to companies and group parent companies with net turnover above EUR 450 million and an average number of employees above 1,000. The same criteria will apply to the disclosure of non-financial information in the management report; voluntary application of European Commission standards must be stated in the management report. The public consultation runs until 14 September 2026.

The Ministry of Finance has submitted for public consultation the draft law "Amendments to the Law on Annual Reports and Consolidated Annual Reports", transposing EU Directive 2026/470 on sustainability disclosures. A sustainability report will have to be included in the management report only by companies with net turnover above EUR 450 million and an average of more than 1,000 employees; the same criteria will apply to reporting on material intangible resources. Companies that report voluntarily under EU standards will have to state this in the management report. The deadline for submitting proposals is 14 September 2026.

Also reported by: fm.gov.lv

The Ministry of Justice is promoting amendments to the Law on the Prevention of Money Laundering and Terrorism and Proliferation Financing: if a credit or financial institution terminates its relationship with a foreign resident or legal entity and closes the account, but the client does not exercise the right to withdraw the funds within five years, the funds escheat to the state. The rules do not apply to natural persons who are Latvian residents, nor to frozen, attached or pledged funds. At the start of 2025 there were 39,136 closed accounts at credit institutions holding approximately EUR 26.8 million; the funds are intended to be channelled into support for at-risk children and young people.

On 3 September 2026 the Saeima convenes for the first sitting of its autumn session with 20 items on the agenda. Amendments to the Notariate Law simplifying notaries' work processes and reducing the administrative burden are scheduled for the third reading, and amendments to the Law on Judicial Power to strengthen judicial self-governance and improve the work of the courts for the second reading. In the final reading: amendments restricting the use of identity documents by persons declared wanted, and amendments to the National Security Law. Draft laws on preventing conflicts of interest in collegial institutions and on electoral rules are also being referred to committees.

The State Revenue Service (VID) reports that from 1 July 2027 customs representation services in Latvia may be provided only by persons registered in the Register of Customs Representation Service Providers, which will be maintained by the VID and whose data will be publicly available on its website. Currently the law does not require such registration – only a vehicle driver who communicates customs control decisions to the carrier is regarded as a customs representative.

On 3 September 2026 the Saeima considered, in first reading, amendments to the Law on Territorial Development Planning under which a municipality's territorial plan could in future be suspended only by a Cabinet of Ministers decision, rather than by the responsible minister as at present.

On 1 September 2026 the Cabinet of Ministers approved amendments to the Administrative Procedure Law prepared by the Ministry of Justice (25-TA-2124), which will now go to the Saeima. They would drop the mandatory registered letter for notifying unfavourable administrative acts, expand the use of video conferencing in administrative courts, limit the amount of personal data in documents and rulings, provide a state-paid interpreter only where the court so assesses, and extend the exemption from the state fee and security deposit on grounds of financial hardship to organisations and companies as well. Sanctions are to be introduced for "procedural hooliganism" – the abuse of procedural rights to delay proceedings.

Also reported by: tm.gov.lv · ifinanses.lv

Sorainen's review of legislation and case law for 11–25 August. Key points for businesses: on 19 August amendments to the Unfair Trading Practices Prohibition Law entered into force; on 20 August the Saeima adopted in the 3rd reading amendments to the Consumer Rights Protection Law and the Credit Information Bureaus Law, and in the 2nd reading amendments to the Advertising Law, the Payment Services Law and others, under which consumer supervision in financial services passes from PTAC to the Bank of Latvia from 1 January 2027; Cabinet regulations on registration of deferred payment service providers (registration fee EUR 50,000) and consumer credit amendments (Directive 2023/2225) have been drafted. In the Account Register regulations the Insolvency Control Service (to be liquidated on 1 October 2026) is replaced by the Ministry of Justice; amendments to the Advocacy Law shorten the practice requirement from 7 to 5 years. The review also covers Constitutional Court case 2026-13-01 on compensation for losses in the event of an unjustified attachment of property and Senate judgments SKC-526/2026 and SKA-393/2026.

Amendments to the Personal Income Tax Law will, for the first time in ten years, raise the tax-exempt ceiling for volunteer expense compensation from EUR 1,000 to EUR 3,000 a year and simplify how it is substantiated.

The consultation explains the division of authority between the Saeima and the Cabinet of Ministers in setting national sanctions, referencing recent amendments to the Ukraine civilian support law restricting imports of certain industrial goods from Russia and Belarus. It notes the Saeima formally delegates setting the goods list to the Cabinet.

The article (paywalled, only the lead is visible) examines whether EU Packaging Regulation 2025/40 also applies to small farms and self-employed persons selling to EU customers via online platforms.

The president has promulgated the airBaltic financial stabilisation law, adopted by the Saeima on 20 August under urgency procedure, allowing possible state participation of up to €30 million in bridge-financing bonds and capitalisation of €50 million in existing bonds. 54 MPs voted for, 21 against.

Also reported by: likumi.lv

Justice ministers of Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia met in Tallinn to discuss cooperation on protecting democratic institutions and the rule of law. Latvia's minister stressed that EU requirements should be transposed proportionately, avoiding unnecessary administrative burden on business. No specific legislative changes were announced.

Latvia's statistics office published its first monthly list of Latvian-registered companies trading with Russia or Belarus, under June amendments to the law supporting Ukrainian civilians that override tax-secrecy rules. The tax authority must now feed this data to the statistics office for disclosure. Updates are planned monthly.

The Central Statistical Bureau has begun publishing on its website, once a month, a list of Latvian-registered companies that export goods to Russia or Belarus or import from those countries; the first list was published on 20 August 2026 with July data. The obligation stems from Saeima-adopted amendments to the law linked to support for Ukraine.

The Saeima backed the government's request to extend the repayment deadline for airBaltic's state loan and to allow the state to buy additional company bonds. Both coalition and some opposition MPs voted in favour. The decision is part of a wider package of measures to secure the airline's financial stability.

The subscriber-only article explains that since 12 August 2026 EU Regulation 2025/40 on packaging and packaging waste has been directly applicable in Latvia, setting new requirements across the packaging life cycle.