1. 1 ANNUAL MEETING SWISS-LATVIAN COOPERATION PROGRAMME April 2012 – March 2013 Riga, 25 April 2013

2. Agenda 1.Financial progress 2.Work plan 3.Risks and action plan 4.Publicity 5.Swissness 6.Conclusions 7.Questions and Answers – NCU/Donors/Executing Agencies 2

3. 1.Financial progress: Committments (I) 3 *Progress achieved during reporting period. Priority sector Financial allocation/ committed grant, million CHF % (project promoter’s expenditure vs. committed grant) till December 2012 % (reimbursements received vs. committed grant) till April 2013 1. Security, stability and support for reforms28,1575,4% (16,4%*)72,1% (19,4%*) 2. Environment and infrastructure131,5% (0,2%*)0,3% (0,3%*) 3. Promotion of the Private Sector9,4677% (3,2%*)76,5% (3,6%*) 4. Human and Social Development2,3416,6% (7,7%*)16,2% (7,4%*) 5. Special allocations (excluding Swiss programme management) 3,7793,1% (20,7%*)85,7% (41,0%*) Total allocation for projects56,7257,5% (10,4%*)55% (13,3%*) Swiss programme`s and CRUS management/ Evaluation Committee costs 3,16 Total Swiss Programme’s allocation59,88

4. 1.Financial progress: Reimbursements (II) 4 Total: 50,4 million CHF* *Excluding CRUS/Scholarship fund’’s planned reimbursements and 2 nd tranche of Sarkandaugava project for which reimbursement plan will be specified after amendments in the Project Agreement in amount 6,3 mill. CHF

5. 1.Financial progress: Reimbursements for projects in 2012 (III) 5

6. 2.Work plan: 2012/2013 Implemented activities (I) 6 1. 14 (out of 17) Multifunctional Youth Initiative Centres opened. In this reporting period – 11. 2. All planned 376 video and audio equipment units placed in 48 courts and 12 prisons. In this reporting period –159 units. 3. All NGO Fund subprojects completed (62 versus 50 planned). In this reporting period – 6. 4. 644 out of 650 planned micro loans already allocated to microenterprises. In this reporting period – 437. 5. In total 4 open calls announced in Scholarship Fund. 3 rd and 4 th open call announced in this reporting period. 6. First 3 open calls announced in Swiss Researchers’ Activities.

7. 2.Work plan: 2012/2013 Delayed activities (II) 1. Completion of Modernizations of Courts – delayed for 1/2 year 2. Sarkandaugava project remediation works (the 1 st tranche) – delayed for 1 year (remediation works started in March 2013) 3. Procurement for Sarkandaugava project remediation works (the 2 nd tranche) – delayed for 1 year 4. Opening event of last (the 17th) Youth Centre – delayed for 1/2 year 5. Announcement of procurement for acquisition of Fire Safety Systems – delayed for 1/2 year 7

8. 8 2.Work plan: 2013 (III) ProjectTasks 2013 Apr May Jun Jul AugSep Oct NovDec Modernization of courts Project closing event, completion of project and Final Financial Audit X NGO Fund Completion of project and Final Financial Audit XXX Scholarship fund5 th open call X X Sarkandaugava project Procurement for remediation works (22 000 m 2 ) for 2 nd tranche announced X Swiss researchers’ activities 3 rd open call XX 4 th open call, which will stay open until all grants will be utilised XXXXXX

9. 9 2.Work plan: 2013 (IV) ProjectTasks 2013 Apr May Jun Jul AugSep Oct Nov Dec Youth initiatives project Opening events of 15 th, 16 th and 17 th youth centre X XX Intermediary Financial Audit X Regional forum for youth and for persons working with youth (target group) in Kurzeme Planning Region (PR) X Regional conference for target group in Zemgale PR X Trainings for target group in all PR of Latvia XXX XXXX National Forum for target group in Riga PR X Micro lending programme Intermediary Financial Audit X Final distribution of initial Loan Fund (grant- 6.8 mill. CHF) XXX Distribution of additional Loan Fund (grant-0.44 mill. CHF) XX Fire safety project Fire Safety Systems installation in general educational institutions XX X X X X X Competition for pupils about fire safety issuesXX

10. 10 3.Risks and action plan (I) Sarkandaugava Modernization of courts* World bank* Time constraint CRUS Scholarships Swiss researchers World bank* Unspending of funds * Risks and mitigation of them will be presented by responsible Executing Agencies

11. Mitigation of risk– change of procurement procedure for the 2 nd tranche from closed to open tender: 1)requires less time (approximately 35 days shorter procedure) 2)is more appropriate for competition where the possible range of applicants is known. 11 3. Risks and action plan (II) Sarkandaugava

12. 3. Risks and action plan (III) CRUS Scholarships 12 Open Call No. Available sum per call Utilized grant after call Utilized grant vs. available per call Date of announcement - submission date Received applic. Approved applic. 1. 886 233337 16738% Sept-Nov/201053 2.Sept-Nov/201152 3.-7.990 187500 25051%Sept-Nov/2012136 4. 1 001 912 Jan-Apr/20135 5. Sept-Nov/2013 6. Jan-Apr/2014 7. Sept-Nov/2014 Total:1 839 329*837 41745,53% 2811 *excluding CRUS management and evaluation committee costs

13. 3. Risks and action plan (IV) CRUS Scholarships Mitigation of risk: 1)starting from 2013 – calls are launched biannually (previously once per year) 2)some of EU Funded projects for researchers (with doctoral degree) in this area has been partly finished 3)information about calls actively provided via webpages, press release, publications in newspapers, e-mails, seminars 13

14. 3. Risks and action plan (V) Swiss researchers No. Available sum per call Utilized grant after call Utilized grant vs. available Open call timing Received applic. Approved applic. 1.88 23520 13023%01.03.-30.04.201299 2.101 85614 10514%04.09.-05.11.201287 3.123 794 05.03.-06.05.2013 4.-6.371 382 second half of 2013 till all grant will be used Total:529 41134 2356,5%1716 14

15. 3. Risks and action plan (VI) Swiss researchers Mitigation of risk: 1)further on – single call stays open on a permanent basis for the remaining period of the Block Grant until all funds are used 2)professors, researchers from Swiss higher education institutions can do lecturing not only in Latvian higher education and research institutions but also in colleges 3) information about calls actively provided via webpages, press releases, publications in newspapers, e-mails, seminars 15

16. 4.Publicity: Attractive examples (I) NGO Fund 11 best example subproject stories with pictures on SIF web pageweb page 16 Encouragement to a healthy lifestyle, Liepaja, in 2011 Health promotion in Limbazi, in 2012

17. 4.Publicity : Attractive examples (II) Fire safety project Competition about fire safety issues for school children from 7 th to 8 th grade 17 Competition for children of Riga region, in April 2013 17

18. 4.Publicity : Attractive examples (III) Scholarship Fund – Two experience stories from interviewed fellows published on SEDA web page;web page Swiss researchers – 13 informative seminars during 2012/ 2013 for potential applicants in higher education institutions and research institutions 18 Informative seminar, Riga, 2012

19. 4.Publicity: Attractive examples (IV) Modernization of courts In Supreme Court of Latvia press conference was held demonstrating installed video/audio equipment in courts/prisons. Widely reflected in mass media, shown in largest Latvian TV channels (LTV1, TV3). 19 Closing event, the Supreme Court of Latvia, on 28 June 2012

20. 4.Publicity: Attractive examples (VI) Youth initiatives project 11 opening events of multifunctional youth centres were organized in all Planning Regions of Latvia. Representatives of the Embassy participated in order to emphasize the role played by the Swiss Contribution. 20 Opening of Rūjiena youth centre on 21 September 2013 Opening of Gulbene youth centre on 7 September 2013

21. 5. Swissness (I) 21  NGO Fund– 18 (out of 62) subprojects promoted bilateral co-operation with organizations from Switzerland  Researchers’ positive experience in Latvia improves future cooperation between educational institutions In Latvia University of Agriculture, in October 2012

22. 22  Sarkandaugava- one subcontractor of remediation works for the 1 st tranche is an enterprise from Switzerland  Fire safety project’s official partner – Institution of Fire Safety and Natural Disasters of the Canton of Vaud of Switzerland (knowledge exchange visit for public officials to Switzerland took place) 5. Swissness (II) In the Centre of Technics and Logistics in Romanel in the Canton of Vaud, Switzerland, in May 2012 22

23. 6. Conclusions (I) 23 Swiss Programme is well perceived and highly appreciated in Latvia, especially at regional and local level:  Youth centres,  School busses,  Fire safety systems,  NGOs,  Micro-lending projects

24. 6. Conclusions (II) Swiss programme made direct impact to rural and disadvantage areas of Latvia by implementing activities like:  providing pupils’ transportation to remote schools and improving fire safety in schools,  providing micro-loans,  establishment of youth centres,  as well as supported local NGO activities,  high expectations from courts modernization project thus speeding up judicial procedures. Further co-operation with Switzerland is very important for Latvia and would be highly appreciated. 24

25. Questions and Answers – NCU/Donors/Executing Agencies 25