- Time for Latvia to be assertive
It seems strange to recall that one year ago, prior to accession to the European Union, there were doubts about the ability of Latvia and the other new member states to compete in the European single market.
- Enlargement – the view from Estonia
Audentes University hosted an international conference in Tallinn at the end of April to mark the first anniversary of EU enlargement.
- EU enlargement: creation of a two-party system?
One year after EU entry much of the media in the Baltics concluded that accession simply meant “business as usual.” For the accession states, this is largely true.
- Auditors cast doubt over SAPARD aid granted to two firms
The National Audit Office has expressed doubts about the legality of EU assistance granted to two Lithuanian companies, one of which is linked with Economy Minister Viktor Uspaskich.
- Commission to decide on Laval soon
European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso wrote in a letter to Prime Minister Aigars Kalvitis that the EU executive would decide by June whether to send Sweden a formal warning over insufficient transposition of EU law in ..
- Latvia’s commissioner dismisses ‘homemade’ fuel tax proposals
During a visit to the homeland this week, Andris Piebalgs, the European commissioner for energy policy, said he did not support the idea of reducing or abolishing taxes on oil products as a means of combating high prices at the pump.
- Life insurance boost
Statistics in private individuals' savings in Latvia shows "short term" thinking regarding investments - 97% of the savings are in bank deposits and only 3% are investment in long term savings products provided by life companies.
- In brief
Estonia's Siim Kallas, vice president of the European Commission, said he condemned the European Union's economic policy for preferring shortterm aims and finds the bloc facing serious difficulties.
- Membership stirs-up prices
It wasn't long after EU accession that the Baltic's euphoria was dampened by rising prices.