Evaluation of Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) in Europe

National Reporting

Latvia

Status

Latvia submitted an official Statement on the progress of implementation of the EC ICZM Recommendation to the European Commission on 2 June 2006.

Latvia's approach is that a stand-alone ICZM strategy is not needed as ICZM is a natural component of the overall spatial and development planning currently developed. In general, the initial phase of an ICZM process will be finished in Latvia, when Nation Spatial Plan and local development and territorial plans of all coastal areas will be approved (presumably by mid 2007). In maritime sectors of Latvia, an ICZM process has only just started.

Implementation of the ICZM Recommendation in Latvia is viewed in line with findings of the recent INTERREG IIIB project "Integrated Coastal Zone Development in the Baltic Sea Region / BALTCOAST" that spatial planning goes with ICZM hand-in-hand.

There is no foreseen plan to develop a national ICZM strategy nor establish a new institution for ICZM in Latvia. The main emphasis will be placed on capacity building and education of local planners towards ICZM issues. The principles of ICZM will be incorporated into the National Spatial Plan.

Reporting Institution

Ministry of Regional Development & Local Governments
Spatial Planning Department
Riga

National Contact

Ms. Dzintra Upmace
Contact: dzintra.upmace@raplm.gov.lv

National Reporting to the EU ICZM Recommendation

Statement on the progress of implementation of the EC Recommendation 2002/413/EC on ICZM, Latvia (May 2006, 17 pages, English)

Stocktake and Supporting Documents

No specific stocktaking exercise has been carried out to analyse which major actors, legislative documents and institutions influence the management of the coastal area. A first attempt to analyze the situation from the ICZM point of view was the EU Phare Programme Project, "IZCM Latvija", supported also by the World Bank (1998 - 1999).

Further Information

Website of the Ministry of Regional Development & Local Governments, Spatial Planning Department
http://www.raplm.gov.lv/eng/spatial_planning/