Every two years the Ministry of Welfare prepares an informational report on the operation and development of social enterprises (SEs) for submission to the Cabinet of Ministers. The latest report on SE development, with information relevant to companies seeking SE status, was submitted on 30 March 2022. This article explores what SE status is and what aid measures it offers, as well as providing an overview of the information included in the report and of proposals for amending the SE Act.
A taxpayer assessing his transfer pricing (TP) compliance might find that a transaction with a related party is not arm’s length according to a preliminary comparability analysis. When analysing each case separately, however, we sometimes find that the taxpayer has failed to take all necessary preventive measures to mitigate TP risk. One of those measures involves assessing the need to make comparability adjustments.
The preparation of annual accounts is relevant to each company, and this process often involves making multiple changes that have a direct effect on the numerical information presented in the company’s financial statements. Accounting software mostly ensures automatic preparation of the balance sheet and the profit and loss account, yet companies, depending on their size, may have to produce a number of notes that tend to take a long time to prepare. In this article we share recommendations for accelerating the technical preparation of financial statements.
On 15 March 2022 proposals for amending the Employment Act were endorsed by the Cabinet of Ministers and submitted to Parliament for approval. The amendments are being made in order to transpose two EU directives that Latvia must pass by August 2022 and to implement the Constitutional Court’s ruling No. 2019-33-01 of 12 November 2020, which recognises that section 155(1) of the Employment Act, giving a childbirth leave entitlement to the father, is not consistent with the first sentence of the Constitution’s section 110 insofar as it offers no protection or support for a female partner of the child’s mother due to the birth of the child. This article explores key changes and how they affect workers and employers.
A foreign company planning to do business in Latvia can choose between registering a subsidiary or operating through a branch. This choice is commonly dictated by the group’s governance strategy and long-term plans in Latvia. A foreign company going for a simplified arrangement can register either a branch with the Enterprise Registry or a permanent establishment (PE) with the State Revenue Service (SRS) only for paying Latvian corporate income tax (CIT). This article outlines some CIT and accounting issues relevant to PE activities in Latvia.
The world and things keep changing, and this change is affecting the environment significantly – both positively and negatively, allowing and even forcing us to revise various processes and activities to make them consistent with the reality. These factors are also affecting transfer pricing (TP).
Today, cryptocurrency is almost a household word. “Crypto” denotes encryption provided in all modern digital currencies. Cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin and Dogecoin have a value because people buy them for a price. The cryptocurrency can then be exchanged for goods, services or currencies issued by governments, such as the euro. This article explains how cryptocurrency trades should be booked by a company acting as broker between an individual or entity wishing to buy cryptocurrency or exchange it for money and the stock exchange where it can be bought.
The beginning of this year saw personal data experts discussing the news that the Austrian Data Protection Authority made a decision in December 2021 finding that the use of Google Analytics is contrary to the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). The French Data Protection Authority followed suit in February 2022. In this article we are modelling the effects of those decisions on people using the Google Analytics service across the EU, including Latvia.
With the labour market crossing national borders, Latvian employers are looking abroad to attract not only management talent but also routine workers. As the Covid-19 crisis lingers on and the significance of remote work grows, Latvian companies are increasingly wondering about the best ways to employ foreign workers, especially if they work remotely from their home country.
We are having to do our jobs and deliver results in a very complex and multifaceted environment caused by the rapid global change. The list of decision-making criteria has also become quite long. On the one hand, companies still focus on making a profit, but ESG matters often dictate a diametrically opposite approach. Change is inevitable and leaders must be able to benefit from various approaches that might initially seem conflicting and incompatible. In our December edition of Flash News we wrote about six paradoxes of leadership. This article explores them in detail
The global situation is still making us look at each other through a screen, and we have come to think of this as everyday life. A business trip is now more about connecting to another online call than boarding a coach or plane to attend a client meeting or a professional training course. Introducing a brief series of articles on payroll taxation, this one explores the tax treatment and obligations of an employer sending a worker on a business trip and paying for their accommodation and meals. We will be writing about other tax law interpretations we have received from the tax authority after we asked questions relevant to our clients preparing for the income tax filing season.
In our previous article on financing available to businesses we informed our MindLink subscribers about additionally available grants, loans and guarantees financed out of public and EU funds. A new EU funding period has just started, with sub-programmes being developed in detail for setting EU financing priorities. The aggregate EU investment for 2021–2027 involves EUR 10.44 billion to be absorbed by Latvia’s economy. A preliminary list of priorities and qualifying measures has been drawn up, and projects could be launched from mid-2022. Financing from the EU funds for project implementation is available to every Latvian citizen who has a clear idea of how to contribute to society’s well-being, economic growth and sustainable development. Projects may be submitted by entrepreneurs, municipalities and governmental organisations. This article explores the priorities, available funding and programmes of the Latvian Recovery Fund, as well as financing available from the EU Structural Funds for 2021–2027.
In late 2021 the government debated and approved the Justice Ministry’s proposals for amending the Commerce Act. Although the amendments have yet to be endorsed by Parliament, they might come into force on 1 July 2023. The most important proposals relate to disclosure requirements for a public limited company’s shareholders.