On June 12 in Tallinn, President of the Latvian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), Aigars Rostovskis, and Chair of the Board, Katrīna Zariņa, together with the presidents and executive leadership of the Lithuanian and Estonian Chambers of Commerce and Industry, met with Estonian Prime Minister Kristen Michal, Speaker of Parliament Lauri Hussar, and Mayor of Tallinn Peeter Raudsepp to discuss the competitiveness of the Baltic States, attracting investment, business environment development, and opportunities for regional cooperation.

During the visit, discussions with the Estonian government and parliamentary leadership focused on strengthening the competitiveness of the European Union, reducing bureaucratic burdens for businesses, workforce availability, energy, and promoting investment in rapidly growing sectors, including the defense industry and artificial intelligence. Participants emphasized the need to strengthen the competitiveness of the EU single market and create a more business-friendly environment that fosters innovation and economic growth. At the same time, the importance of Baltic cooperation in implementing strategically important regional projects was highlighted, particularly regarding the development of Rail Baltica, Via Baltica, and AirBaltic. The participants agreed that the Baltic States share common interests and joint responsibility for advancing these projects successfully, thereby strengthening regional connectivity, security, and competitiveness.

During the meeting with the Mayor of Tallinn, attention was given to the role of cities in economic development, investment attraction, and innovation promotion. Discussions covered cooperation between Tallinn, Helsinki, Riga, and Vilnius, the potential of the Baltic and Nordic region, as well as Estonia’s experience in developing its business ecosystem. Tallinn positions itself as a platform for testing new solutions and supporting business growth in the Baltic and Nordic markets, while close cooperation between the public sector and entrepreneurs is considered one of the key prerequisites for national competitiveness.

The visit also held special significance for strengthening cooperation among Baltic business organizations. For the first time, the presidents and executive leadership of the chambers of commerce and industry from all three Baltic States gathered in a joint working visit to discuss shared priorities, challenges in the business environment, and future directions for cooperation. During the meeting, an agreement was reached to continue this dialogue regularly by organizing joint meetings of Baltic chamber leadership in all Baltic capitals and coordinating the positions of business organizations on issues important to the Baltic region.

“This visit was special not only because of its content but also because of its format. For the first time, the presidents and executive leadership of the chambers of commerce and industry from all three Baltic States met together, demonstrating our shared commitment to closer cooperation in strengthening the competitiveness of the Baltic region. Discussions with Estonia’s highest-ranking officials once again confirmed that we face similar challenges, but also share common interests and opportunities. Therefore, we have agreed to organize such meetings regularly, building even closer cooperation among Baltic business organizations and jointly advocating for issues important to entrepreneurs at both the national and European levels,” emphasizes LCCI Chair of the Board Katrīna Zariņa.