As we continue our work to support our member's interests, we are pleased to inform that in 2017 AmCham became a member of the Internal Market Committee (IM) of the Ministry of Economics of Latvia. In the Committee AmCham is represented by Juris Jākobsons, Member of the AmCham Board and Head of Subsidiary Supervision at Citadele banka.

The purpose of the IM Committee's activities is to promote and develop entrepreneurial competitiveness in the EU Internal Market for the free movement of goods and services, competition, trade, consumer and conformity assessment issues. The Committee is composed of entrepreneurs and experts who meet on monthly basis to discuss improving the business environment in Latvia to raise our competitiveness.

Being an active member of this Committee, AmCham has initiated the following issues in 2017:

1) Insurance and Reinsurance Distribution Law - Involvement of the Competition Council and Consumer Protection Center in the process of drafting the law;
2) The General Data Protection Regulation - Its successful implementation in Latvia and the role of the Ministry of Economics;
3) "Open Economy" - The availability of public services to entrepreneurs in English;
4) E-signature recognition: Widespread introduction of e-signature.

AmCham plans to continue its work in the Committee in 2018 and is dedicated to discuss and solve topical issues related to the improvement of the business environment based on the successful cooperation with the Ministry of Economics.

Call for action! To help the committee identify topical issues and help to initiate them for this year`s agenda, we would very much appreciate your input! Please take a few minutes to answer this short online survey: http://bit.ly/2mcwUiG

We would be most grateful, if you could fill it out by February 5, 2018.