Title: Business Support Measures in Riga Planning Region
Abbreviation: Support RPR-VEST
Managing Partner: Riga Planning Region
Project number: No 5-50/EEZ/INP-002
Programme: Programme for the 2014-2021 period of the European Economic Area Financial Instrument “Local development, poverty alleviation and cultural cooperation”
Partners: Riga Planning Region and Westlannes regional level municipality
Objective: To promote balanced development of the planning region of Riga through regional business support mechanisms.
Main activities:
1. Strengthening the capacity of the Riga Planning Region Business Centre and municipalities.
The activity provides direct support for promoting business and economic development functions in the planning region of Riga and its municipalities. It aims to strengthen the capacity of Riga Planning Region and its local government business specialists to work with entrepreneurs, gain new experience and innovate in their day-to-day work. The main instrument for achieving these objectives will be specialist training, which will also organise business situation simulation exercises under the management of professional lecturers, in order to raise awareness among local government specialists of the Riga Planning Region about economic development processes and the business environment at local level, as well as to improve cooperation with entrepreneurs.
2. Regional awareness-raising activities.
The aim of the activity is to develop a unified economic marketing, economic/investment environment and visual identity package of the planning region of Riga and its municipalities, and specific marketing materials in a uniform style to promote regional and local governments as potential business places (internal and external direct or portfolio investment sites) and awareness-raising and awareness-raising.
3. Regional youth entrepreneurship mentoring.
It is intended to attract experienced mentors who will promote the interest of young people in starting a business by offering young people theoretical knowledge of starting a business, practical skills in developing business plans and developing skills in the application of information and communication technologies in business. The support services envisaged will be available to young people from all municipalities in the region. In order to develop the practical skills of young people, there is also a possibility of practicing in regional businesses. According to the Youth Act, young people in Latvia are persons aged between 13 and 25.
4. Support for increasing employment and competitiveness through regional specific activities.
The aim of the activity is to promote the creation of new jobs in the region, to increase the competitiveness of the region, and to create innovative solutions linked to the development of regional potential by taking over the knowledge and experience of the Norwegian partners in areas such as product or process innovation and promoting networking activities between entrepreneurs, business ideas owners and local non-governmental organisations. in between.
5. Communication and publicity.
The aim is to inform the general public in Latvia and Norway, the target group of the Project and the stakeholders in the implementation of the Project about the European Economic Area financial instrument, the Programme and the Project, to provide information on its purpose, partners, implementation period, key activities and planned results, the allocated funding of the Programme and the costs of implementing activities.
Results:
Supported companies with increased operational capacity;
strengthen the capacity of the Riga Planning Region Business Centre to support business;
increased share of the services and support provided by municipalities;
trained professional staff in the field of business promotion and local government cooperation;
capacity development initiatives with a view to promoting entrepreneurship involve the majority of municipalities in the region;
assisted persons for the development of local business;
a new region-specific solution to boost regional competitiveness and employment has been implemented.
Total project budget: EUR 711 016
Time of introduction: 34 months (July 2021-April 2024)
Contact: Sanita Paegis, Project Coordinator, Riga Planning Region, [email protected]
