The Latvian Parliament (Saeima) has approved amendments to the Competition Law, granting the Competition Council (KP) a new role in aiding public purchasers in assessing and calculating damages caused by competition law violations.
Under the changes, the KP will provide public clients with methodological support, including guidance on damage calculation methods and assistance in filing claims in court for procurement-related losses.
To avoid conflicts of interest, a dedicated KP unit will handle these advisory tasks separately from investigations into competition violations. This unit will operate under the supervision of the KP Chairman but remain independent in its assessments.
The amendments aim to encourage public purchasers to actively pursue damages from violations and were based on a January 2024 Cabinet of Ministers report outlining measures to enhance loss recovery efforts.
