Latvia

The Latvian government actively encourages foreign direct investment and works with investors to improve the country's business climate. To strengthen these efforts, the Latvian government introduced the POLARIS process, a mechanism designed to create an alliance between the public sector, including national and local governments; the private sector, covering both national and international companies; and major Latvian academic and research institutions to encourage foreign direct investment and spur economic growth. The Latvian government also meets annually with the Foreign Investors Council in Latvia (FICIL), which represents large foreign companies and chambers of commerce, with the express purposes of improving the business environment and encouraging foreign investment. The Coordination Council for Large and Strategically Important Investment Projects is chaired by the Prime Minister.