The National Development Plan 2007-2013
The objective of the National Development Plan from 2007 until 2013 (NDP) is to facilitate a balanced and sustainable development of the country, as well as to ensure and increase Latvia’s competitiveness. It is Latvia's contribution to the common strategy of the EU member states and to the implementation of the National Lisbon programme. The NDP presents the strategic goal of Latvia’s development and sets forth the main activities to ensure stable growth of the country and society. The NDP’s task is to focus society’s attention on an agreed upon goal, thus ensuring coordination and balance of activities and purposeful channelling of financial resources into attainment of the state’s development goals, as well as into creating the necessary preconditions.
The NDP states that the quality of life is the main prerequisite for the growth of the country. The NDP acknowledges a preserved, accessible and well-maintained cultural environment and a cultural-historical heritage which are integral parts of the quality of life. Culture is an integral priority of a prosperous society, and it has a vital role in preserving national identity. At the same time, cultural diversity also has a special place in Latvia’s multi-national society. The strategic goal of the NDP is education and knowledge for the growth and technological excellence of the national economy. The priorities of the NDP are: an educated and creative individual; technological excellence and flexibility of the entreprises; and development of science and research.
The NDP recognizes the potential of creative industries and stipulates that in order to effectively employ Latvia’s creative and cultural environment resources, to increase the work efficiency of existing creative sectors, to expand and diversify the economic activities of creative individuals, thus turning their creative potential into economic gain, the creative industry sector, as one of the most promising, should be integrated into the economy of Latvia. In order for this sector in Latvia to reach growth rates equal to those of other countries, special attention should be paid to the specific needs of the creative industries, their innovative potential should be developed, and the experience of creative industries should be systematically expanded.
The NDP was adopted by the Cabinet of Ministers in 2006.
Currently interinstitutional work has been started in order to draft the National Development Plan 2014 – 2020.
The National Development Plan has been developed in accordance with the Regional Development Law of the Republic of Latvia and is a medium-term planning document for the period from 2007 until 2013. The NDP is not an action or financial plan but a strategic document which proposes a medium-term goal and priorities; facilitates formation of a common understanding and involvement of the entire society; focuses attention and financial resources for ensuring the country’s and society’s sustainable development; sets forth guidelines for drafting planning documents at all levels and sectors. The principles and proposals of the NDP have been incorporated into other planning documents.
Challenges identified in the implementation of this measure: To create the culture of creative entrepreneurship in in the society and raise awareness about the specific character, structure and potential in Latvia; to create a favourable environment and institutional support for young creative professionals to start-up their businesses and to create a competitive creative industry in order to gain its recognition amongst other sectors of the economy; to create an active public and private partnership for the commercialization of the creative potential; to promote a timely inclusion of future technologies in the elaboration of the products in creative sectors and to foster intersectoral cooperation; to encourage the exchange of intercultural cooperation in two directions (Latvia - foreign countries and vice versa); to establish a creative industries cluster, involving SMEs, educational institutions, supplier sectors, public institutions, and to elaborate a long-term strategy of the sector.