Stakeholder meeting Latvia

Zemgale Planning Region and Ministry of Smart Administration and Regional Development have organized a meeting of the stakeholders involved in the GreenIndustrialAreas project in Latvia. The discussions during the event focused on the project progress and the best approach for developing green industrial zones. A key goal is to create a certification standard promoting climate neutrality and CO2 reduction, but regulatory differences across six Baltic Sea region countries make this challenging. Latvia’s case is further complicated by its privately owned pilot area, unlike other partners with state or municipal sites.

To address this, the Zemgale Planning Region and Ministry of Smart Administration and Regional Development organized discussions on certification standards, sustainability regulations, and Latvia’s pilot site, SIA "Laflora." A key debate was whether to create a simple standard with limited impact or an internationally recognized certification to attract businesses.

Participants agreed to hold a broader meeting with municipalities and industry representatives to define Latvia’s position before discussing it with the project’s lead partner from Germany. While the project ends this year, work on a unified standard will continue.