1. ANNUAL MEETING SWISS-LATVIAN COOPERATION PROGRAMME April 2016 – March 2017
Riga, May 2017

2. Agenda Completion of last 3 projects: Youth Initiatives programme
Sarkandaugava remediation
Financial reporting
2. Swiss Programme’s results – impacts
3. Further actions towards closure

3. Agenda Completion of last 3 projects: Youth Initiatives programme
Sarkandaugava remediation
Financial reporting
2. Swiss Programme’s results – impacts
3. Further actions towards closure

4. Youth initiative – outputs overreached - 175%
OUTCOME - Equal rights to youth from less developed regions to get involved in youth work and non-formal education activities
OUTCOME - Socially active young people in peripheral and disadvantaged regions
26 multifunctional youth initiatives centres in peripheral and disadvantaged regions
safe environment for youth Youths’ social and work skills improved
196 trainings, seminars, conferences, forums for youth and persons involved in youth work
5268 participants from all planning regions of Latvia
15 methodological training materials elaborated

5. Youth initiative – sustainability ensured
Post completion issue solved – all agreements with municipalities includes condition - youth centres operational by 31 March 2027.
Main conclusions form programme’s final evaluation report:
Centres has substantially strengthened the support environment for non-formal youth activities and youth work;
Centres have great importance to young peoples lives – 49% of attending centre 3 or more times a week;
Trainings and events had positive impact on youth workers' competences and capacity and encouraged impulse of new initiatives.
Ministry of Education and Science will take into account evaluation's conclusions and recommendations to enhance the support to efficient education, training and quality youth work - measures co-financed by the EU Erasmus+ Programme.

6. Youth Initiative - Publicity/Swissness
In October 2016 opening of multifunctional youth initiative centre «Dinamīts» in Balvi with participation of Ambassador of Swiss Confederation in Latvia.
Study visit to Switzerland was organized in cooperation with Swiss organization Euforia on October representatives from Swiss and Latvian youth centres exchanged best practises and gained valuable experience.

7. Youth initiative - Video

8. Agenda Completion of last 3 projects: Youth Initiatives programme
Sarkandaugava remediation
Financial reporting
2. Swiss Programme’s results – impacts
3. Further actions towards closure

9. Sarkandaugava remediation in 3 sites – outputs overreached - 108%
OUTCOME - quality of groundwater and surface water improved
OUTCOME - quality of soil and ground improved
OUTCOME - inflow of pollution prevented
Groundwater and surface water quality indicators achieved - pollution reduced by 60-70%
1 712 tons (111%) of floating oil products pumped out till mid of May 2017
Soil quality indicators achieved -pollution is reduced by 60-70%
In total tons (more than 111%) of polluted soil excavated
376 metres long (104%) waterproof barrier and 110 metres long drainage system installed
! Threats to human health reduced!

10. Sarkandaugava remediation – fully completed by June 2017
Post Remediation Monitoring Concept for historically polluted sites developed – on 1 June 2017 will be presented during project’s final conference
Infrastructure use & sustainability - will be ensured

11. Sarkandaugava remediation - Swissness
Valuable experiences and knowledge were gained in April 2017 study visit on post remediation monitoring in Switzerland site “Kollinken”,“La Pila” in Fribourg and in Austria sites “Benda Lutz”, “Kemmelbach”,“Siemans” & around Linz.
On 1 June 2017 Project’s closing conference on remediation of the polluted sites in Latvia - Swiss experts will share Switzerland’s experience.

12. Agenda Completion of last 3 projects: Youth Initiatives programme
Sarkandaugava remediation
Financial reporting
2. Swiss Programme’s results – impacts
3. Further actions towards closure

13. Financial Reporting – main outputs reached
OUTCOME & Impact - strengthened capacity within the regulatory community & accountancy profession & enhanced transparency
17 Trainings on International Standards on Auditing, International Financial Reporting Standards, tax field
Enhancement of public debates on regulatory issues
Strengthened capacity of Latvian institutions to be active within European policy-making process (ROSC report, international conferences/workshops on financial reporting and auditing)
Guide on Accounting for micro commercial companies developed
Training program for the sworn auditor candidates developed
Sworn auditor qualification examination programme updated
Trainings for 223 internal auditors in public administration - strengthened professional capacity ( satisfied ~ 8,5 out of 10)

14. Financial Reporting – fully completed by June 2017
Guides elaborated:
for Ministry of Finance as competent authority in case of administrative proceedings with auditors
on operating and oversight of public entity’s audit committee
RISK: for municipalities to enhance cooperation with sworn auditors during audits (may be not accepted by EA due to low quality)
IT Software system for the oversight of the sworn auditors (Database)

15. Financial Reporting - Swissness
3 experience exchange seminars for internal auditors in cooperation with Swiss partner Institute of Internal Auditors of Switzerland Topics: Assurance Mapping and Frameworks; Performance Audit; Effective Techniques for Successful Risk – Based Audits
Feedback: > 90% rated trainings as good or excellent & useful

16. Guide on Accounting organization – overall benefit
Interactive way to show benefits in easy and attractive way – Facebook, Twitter etc...
Guide on Accounting organization – overall benefit
After – structured road map – efficiency gains, trust
Before - CHAOS

17. Trainings – overall benefit
Interactive way to show benefits in easy and attractive way – Facebook, Twitter etc...
Trainings – overall benefit
After – according to competence level & needs
Before – all or nothing

18. After – professional, up-to date info, time savings
Interactive way to show benefits in easy and attractive way – Facebook, Twitter etc...
IT support tool for sworn auditors – overall benefit
After – professional, up-to date info, time savings
Before - inefficiency

19. Agenda 2. Swiss Programme’s results – impacts
Completion of last 3 projects:
Youth Initiatives programme
Sarkandaugava remediation
Financial reporting
2. Swiss Programme’s results – impacts
3. Further actions towards closure

20. Regional development and security
Impact
Results
Enhanced access to education
Increased safety of school children in rural and less developed regions
110
6 360
Sustainability: busses,
fire safety,
youth centres
transported average per day
Overall
Enhanced fire safety at school in rural and less developed regions
Increased knowledge about fire safety
115
Extended youth centres network for youth initiatives
Created safe environment for youth to spend qualitative leisure time activities 26
Youth centres

21. Justice - courts are more accessible and effective
Reached results
Impact 94
Latvia’s justice system become more technologically advanced;
More effective and accessible courts proceedings
General public security and safety enhanced (minimised cases of prisoners’ convoys from prison to court and back)
Sustainability ensured
Swiss Programmes Courts Modernization project in Latvia created impulse for further development
Within ESF project additional videoconferences equipment will be installed in courts to provide trainings
video conference equipment units + +
308
In all courts and prisons in Latvia
sound recording equipment units

22. Environment and infrastructure – threats to human health reduced
Reached results
Impact
More than 1700 tons
Refreshed and improved quality of soil, ground, groundwater and surface water
Eliminated pollution inflow in the Daugava River and Baltic Sea
Sustainability will be ensured due to installed waterproof barrier and drainage system
Territory released from floating oil products
More than 7100 tons
Tons of polluted soil with oil products excavated
376 metres long
Waterproof barrier

23. Private sector – enhanced economic activities
Reached results
Impact
Enhanced conformity of Latvian accounting and auditing legislation with internationally recognized practise
Improved administrative and professional capacity in accounting and auditing policy elaboration and its applications 21
Sustainability will be ensured due to:
operationality of both IT systems;
Micro Loan Fund is operational by June 2020
Seminars, trainings for auditors, tax inspectors, internal auditors, accountants, academical staff
2 IT systems
Support tools for sworn auditor companies
and for oversight of auditors
More than 3100 work places saved/newly created
Enhanced access to micro loans contributed the growth of employment and business in regions
More than 1300
Micro Loans issued

24. Education and research – improved knowledge
Reached results
Impact
Sustainability - Ministry of Education and Sciences would use final evaluation results to - enhance the support to efficient education, training and quality youth work
More than 90
Possibility to gain new knowledge
Increased quality of higher education and research activities
Strengthened scientific potential of Latvian higher education and research institutions
Promoted research based higher education's development
More than 6500
Researchers from Switzerland provided lectures in Latvian higher education institutions
Students, academic staff, researchers participated in lectures and research activities 50
27 scholarships
Research publications, incl. 30 with Swiss researchers

25. Non - governmental sector – improved life quality
Reached results
Impact
Closer cooperation between the NGO and public sectors encouraged (especially with local municipalities)
Enhanced work with the groups in risk of social exclusion and poverty
More than
Sustainability: several projects' activities are still operational and supported by municipalities
Children and youth +
More than 6200
Seniors involved in activities to enhance their life quality

26. 2. Impressive financial progress – 97% of Contribution invested
Plānotā apguve līdz 2017.gada jūnijam ir 97,5% - plānots , ka kopumā apgūs 55,5 miljonus CHF.
NO 56,88 miljoniem CHF paredzamais granta atlikums plānots 1,4 miljoni CHF, kas pēc būtības ir projektos radušies ietaupījumi.

27. Agenda 3. Further actions towards closure
Completion of last 3 projects:
Youth Initiatives programme
Sarkandaugava remediation
Financial reporting
2. Swiss Programme’s results – impacts
3. Further actions towards closure

28. Further actions towards closure
Complete activities in last 3 projects till 13 June (Sarkandaugava, Financial reporting, TAF)
Last 3 final financial projects’ audits
Last projects’ reports (issue/proposal to discuss – last projects PIR &PCR combining)
Final Swiss Programme Report (by NCU)
Monitoring of post completion obligations (EA, IB, CFCA and NCU)

29. Thank You for attention! Dankeschön! Un grand merci! Grazie mille!
Minister of finance Ms.Dana Reizniece-Ozola and Ambassador of Swiss Confederation in Latvia Mr. Markus Niklaus Paul Dutly signed amended protocol on double taxation on November 2016
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