Latgale business centre for existing and emerging entrepreneurs
The Latgale Planning Region Latgale Business Centre (LUC) services have been available to entrepreneurs, potential investors, business initiators and local government business specialists as of 2013. The Centre is established in accordance with Latgale Action Plan “Opportunities Latgale”. In order to ensure the mobility of services provided by Latgale business centre – accessibility in all provinces of Latgale region, a network of commercial specialists – consultants (Daugavpils, Rēzekne, Livans, Preilos, Kraslava, Balvi and Ludza) has been established. Consultations are available both on-site and via e-mail and telephone.
Information regarding these services can be seen on the website of Latgale Planning Region, under Latgale business centre (http://latgale.lv/lv/luc). The Internet site is accessible to prospective, existing entrepreneurs useful information, such as the “Handbook for Business iesa”, seminar materials on export promotion, investment attraction and other topical issues created by the Latvian - Lithuanian-Lithuanian Interoperability Programme Project.
Main activities and opportunities of Latgale business centre for entrepreneurs:
1) consultations regarding the availability and use of European Union funds and other external financial resources for the development of entrepreneurship, including the programmes of the Latvian Development Financial Institution “Altum”, the Latvian Investment Development Agency (LIAA) and other programmes;
2) motivation and training activities, such as seminars for entrepreneurs regarding attraction of investments and commencement of entrepreneurship; a cycle of motivation measures “business month” to inform young people about opportunities for business ideas and business development and support mechanisms, as well as regarding the professions requested in the labour market in the future. Such events took place in autumn 2013 and 2014, including Rezekne, Rēzekne District Maltas and Nautrēnu in secondary schools, Viļānu in secondary school;
3) “bureaucracy guide” – consultations on the services of various institutions and the reduction of bureaucratic obstacles in communication and in cooperation with State and local government institutions;
4) consultative support for finding suitable investment objects for potential investors and entrepreneurs. A database of Latgale investment objects is currently being created on the website, as well as the investment objects of Latgale TOP20;
5) organising visits of experience exchanges and trade missions/business groups – visits of business groups to other regions, familiarisation of business success, networking. A trade mission to the Mazpolia region in Poland was organised in 2013 and 2014, while in 2015 business experience exchange visits to Finland, Norway and Germany were planned.
The cooperation of business support institutions, state and local government institutions and other organisations, mutual information exchange and coordination on planned activities in Latgale region is essential in order not to duplicate business support activities implemented by various organisations, such as entrepreneurs' training, seminars, consultancy on labour law issues etc.
In January 2015, the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Regional Development referred to the necessity in other regions, similar to Latgale, to build regional business centres in Kurzeme, Vidzeme, Zemgale and Riga planning region, based on the experience of Latgale business centre.
Contacts:
Head of Latgale host centre Vladislavs Stankevics (Daugavpils),
Tel. 26511047, e-mail address vladislavs.stankevics@latgale.lv
Commercial consultant (Rezekne, Rezekne and Viļānu municipality) Skaidritis Baltace,
Tel. 29444334, e-mail skaidrite.baltace@latgale.lv