To promote co-operation between Latvia and EEA grant Donor countries, within the framework of the EEA (European Economic Area) Financial Mechanism 2014-2021 of the programme “International Police Cooperation and Combating Crime” (hereinafter - the Program), the pre-defined project promoters may apply for support from the Fund for Bilateral Relations initiatives.
Areas of support for the initiatives include international police cooperation and fight against crime, as well as domestic and gender-based violence.
Fund for bilateral relations
In accordance with the article 6 and part C of annex B of the Memorandum of Understanding of December 14th 2017 on the implementation of EEA (European Economic Area) Financial Mechanism 2014-2021 between the Republic of Latvia and Republic of Iceland, Principality of Liechtenstein and Kingdom of Norway the available financing for bilateral cooperation initiatives is 100 000 euros.
Beneficiaries of the support
Beneficiaries of support are the Ministry of the Interior as the Programme Operator and the pre-defined project promoters based on the Programme Agreement between the European Economic Area Financial Mechanism Committee and the Ministry of Finance as the Focal point of the programme signed on December 4th 2019:
- State Revenue Service for “Promoting cooperation between law enforcement authorities in preventing and combating economic crime in Latvia” and “Preventing and combating economic crime at the Border Crossing Point Terehova” projects;
- Corruption Prevention and Combating Bureau for “Support for the establishment of a whistle-blowing system in Latvia” project;
- State Police of Latvia for ”Support to the State Police for increasing effectiveness and quality of economic crime investigation in Latvia” project;
- Financial Intelligence Unit of Latvia for “Improvement of employees’ knowledge in combating money laundering in Latvia” project;
- Ministry of Welfare of the Republic of Latvia for “Support for Barnahus implementation in Latvia” project;
- Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Latvia for "Strengthening of the capacity of forensic system and inspection of the site of the event".
Supported initiatives
- Programme level initiatives to strengthen bilateral relations between Latvia and the Donor states (Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein);
- Pre-defined project-level initiatives with the goal of better cooperation between Latvia and the Donor states.
Eligible costs
Eligible costs are financed 100% by the Bilateral Cooperation Fund for the initiative implementers.
Activities supported
- exchange of technology, experience, knowledge and good practice;
- arranging of seminars, courses and conferences;
- networking and cooperation;
- development and publication of research;
- implementation of publicity measures or information campaigns;
- the costs of a sworn auditor or a commercial company of the sworn auditors, or the internal audit unit of the relevant institution;
- other activities carried out in cooperation with at least one legal entity from the Donor states and approved by the Cooperation Committee of the programme.
The costs must be exclusively to achieve the objectives of the initiative and be in compliance with the principles of cost-effectiveness, economy, efficiency, as well as the legal framework of public procurement. Business trip expenses are eligible under the expenditure norms specified in regulatory enactments regarding the procedure for reimbursement of business trip-related expenses, taking into account that the costs of transport services do not exceed the prices corresponding to the economy class.
Submission and approval of the initiative application
The plan for bilateral cooperation initiatives is approved by the Cooperation Committee of the program.
The Ministry sends a letter inviting three months before the start of the planned Bilateral Cooperation Fund initiative to the initiator to prepare an initiative application in Latvian and English following the Bilateral Cooperation Fund initiative plan approved by the Program Cooperation Committee, by filling in the initiative application form (see below).
The implementer of the initiative shall submit a completed initiative application form to the e-mail address pasts@iem.gov.lv no later than within 30 days.
If the Program Cooperation Committee decides to approve the submitted application, two copies of the agreement shall be prepared for the initiator no later than 25 working days after receipt of the initiative application (see below) and a copy of the agreement shall be provided together with the decision approving the bilateral cooperation initiative.
If the implementer of the initiative is a state budget institution that is not subordinated to the Ministry, as well as except for the initiatives of the Financial Intelligence Service (if applicable), the Ministry shall act following Cabinet of Ministers Regulation No. 91 of 11 February 2020 “European Economic Area Financial Mechanism 2014-2021 regulations for the implementation of the program “International Police Cooperation and Combating Crime”” 34.1. sub-point by coordinating the transfer form with the co-financing recipient (or its highest authority) and requesting and planning funding for the implementation of the relevant initiative as transfer expenses to other line ministries and other central state institutions involved in the implementation of the aforementioned activities.
Within 30 calendar days after the implementation of the bilateral co-operation fund initiative, the implementers of the initiative shall prepare and submit to the Ministry a report on the bilateral co-operation fund initiatives (see below) together with the supporting documentation.
The last eligibility date for Article 2 is 30th April 2025.
More information: https://eeagrants.lv/divpusejas-sadarbibas-fonds/par-programmu/