LPR launches a project call for remigrants to implement business ideas in Latgale

From September 2 to October 4, remigrants have the opportunity to apply for a competition organised by the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Regional Development (VARAM) and the Latgale Planning Region to qualify for grant aid for the implementation, development or commencement of economic activity.
The competition is organised for the second consecutive year in order to provide support (in grants) for remigrants to start and implement economic activity. Support is particularly important for people who return to Latvia after long absence and want to start their economic activities because they have fewer opportunities to qualify and receive support from other national support programmes.
The amount of financing per project is up to eur 10 000, however, in order to receive it, the personal contribution of the remigrant to the implementation or commencement of the economic activity is also necessary, namely to ensure the attracted investments, as well as the payments of the Personal Income Tax (IIA) and the State Social Insurance Compensation (VSAOI) in the three-year period after the commencement of the project. The minimum amount of investment attracted shall be 50% from the financing of the aid requested in the project application. For example, a participant in a remigration support measure requires eur 10 000, the project must be provided with attractive investments of at least 50% from eur 10 000, i.e. at least eur 5 000.
The competitions are qualified by the remigrants and potential remigrants who have lived abroad for at least three years and have registered their residence address abroad in the population register.
Last year, the total number of leads for financial support for start-up or development of economic activity in all five programming regions exceeded 170. In total 17 project applications were submitted, while nine project applications were supported. The large difference between the interest of initial projects and the number of projects submitted in 2018 was linked to the non-compliance of the aid applicants with one of the basic criteria – most of the applicants, although long-term resident abroad, were not “declared” from Latvia.
The competition is implemented on the basis of Cabinet Regulation No. 496 of 7 August 2018, Procedures for Implementation, Evaluation and Financing of a Remigration Support Measure.
Applications in Latgale Planning Region may be submitted from 2 September 2019 to 4 October 2019 at 16:00 (including):

• on the site of the Latgale Planning Region Daugavpils Bureau on Sunday 15, Daugavpils, working days from plkst. 9:00 to p.m. 17:00;
• by post (registered letter) to the address solar street 15, Daugavpils, LV-5401 (ensuring receipt of the application until the specified deadline for submission of projects);
• send to e-mail address pasts@lpr.gov.lv (in electronic form).

The tender rules and the application form can be downloaded here!
You can send questions about project submission to email pasts@lpr.gov.lv or call 65423801.
The “return gravel” competition is organised in the framework of the priority event of the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Regional Development in 2019-2021 for the implementation of the norms of the “diaspora Law” (support measure for promotion of remigration “regional remigration coordinator”).
CABINET Regulation No. 496 “Procedures for the implementation, evaluation and financing of the remigration aid measure”.