Latvia
As of 2023, and in line with the Digital Decade Policy Programme 2030, Digital Economy and Society Index (DESI) is now integrated into the Report on the state of the Digital Decade and used to monitor progress towards the digital targets. Latvia is still slightly below the EU average on at least basic digital skills (45.3% vs. 55.6%), and significantly below the Digital Decade target of 80% for 2030. It is also below the target of ICT specialists where Latvia stands at 4.4%, below the EU average of 4.6%.
In line with the 2021-2027 Digital Transformation guidelines, the Latvian Ministry of Environmental Protection and Regional Development prioritizes digital skills development to achieve Digital Decade targets. The eSkills Partnership, founded in 2013 and co-led by LIKTA and the Ministry, serves as a platform for stakeholders to collaborate on digital skills goals. The current version “Latvian Cybersecurity Strategy 2023-2026” was adopted in March 2023 and have dedicated pillar for education and research and activities for digital and cybersecurity skills' development at all levels.
Current priorities of the Latvian National Coalition include upskilling the labour force, aiding SMEs in digital transformation with the National Industrial Policy Guidelines 2021-2027 and integrating digital technology in education as stated in the “Latvian Education Development Guidelines 2021-2027. Moreover, boosting the number of ICT specialists and advancing digital skills for all citizens is a paramount concern.
The country has set national strategies, to achieve goals such as 70% of citizens with basic digital skills by 2027. Additionally, initiatives that focus on promoting digital skills and transformation, and to engage women in digital careers.
Latvia ranks 24th out of the 27 EU Member States in the DESI dashboard for the Digital Decade for the 'At least basic digital skills' indicator, with 64.7% of its population possessing at least basic digital skills.