BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 19. A new OECD
analysis suggests that the market surveillance system for non-food
products in Latvia should be reevaluated and improved by bringing a
uniform approach to risk assessment, digitizing information
exchange among authorities, and doing away with redundant
activities.
The findings are part of a two-year structural reform project
supported by the European Commission, Trend reports.
Latvia’s current system is fragmented, with 15 institutions
responsible for oversight, including the Consumer Rights Protection
Center (CRPC), Health Inspectorate, Food and Veterinary Service,
State Environmental Service, State Police, and Road Traffic Safety
Directorate. The OECD concluded that comprehensive reform is needed
to reduce duplication, improve coordination, and increase
efficiency.
“This in-depth assessment by the OECD is an important starting
point for further optimization measures. The ministry has already
launched steps to streamline state-owned enterprises, and the
OECD’s findings confirm that we are on the right track,” said
Minister of Economics Viktors Valainis.
The report recommends strengthening the CRPC as the central
supervisory authority with an expanded mandate while assigning the
Ministry of Economics overall responsibility for driving reforms. A
modern, evidence-based system would shift oversight from
inspections in retail outlets toward proactive, data-driven risk
management, targeting products with the highest potential harm.
Key improvements include reducing the number of agencies,
adopting a common risk management framework, and digitalizing
information exchange through the “UZRAUGS” platform. Institutions
should be required to integrate their data systems with “UZRAUGS”
or, at minimum, provide regular data exports.
The OECD also urges Latvia to focus on outcome-based indicators,
such as consumer and business satisfaction, reduced costs, and
fewer accidents. Success should be measured not by the number of
inspections but by tangible results.
The project “Developing a More Effective Market Surveillance
System for Latvia” ran from autumn 2023 to 2025. OECD experts
conducted a full evaluation, trained supervisory staff, and
prepared recommendations for strengthening Latvia’s market
oversight in the coming years.
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