May 15, 2026 — Latvia’s parliament has approved amendments to the Operational Activities Law that will strengthen the country’s ability to detect and prosecute cartels by allowing competition authorities greater access to information gathered through intelligence and surveillance activities.
The amendments, adopted by the Saeima on May 14, clarify the circumstances under which information obtained through operational activities may be shared with other public authorities, including the Competition Council of Latvia (KP), for use in competition law investigations.
According to the Competition Council, the changes remove any uncertainty over whether information collected during operational activities can be transferred to other institutions when necessary to protect significant public or state interests, provided that the principle of proportionality and fundamental rights protections are respected.
Under the new framework, information obtained through special operational measures may be disclosed for purposes other than those originally envisaged only with the approval of the chair of the Supreme Court of Latvia or an authorized Supreme Court judge. Information gathered through ordinary operational measures may be shared with the consent of the prosecutor general or an authorized prosecutor.
The Competition Council said the reforms would significantly improve its ability to uncover and prove prohibited agreements between competitors, which are regarded as among the most serious infringements of competition law.
“Cartels cause the most severe harm to competition and create losses for both the market and consumers,” said Andris Eglons, director of the Competition Council’s legal department. “The adopted amendments will strengthen the Competition Council’s ability to detect and sanction such violations more effectively, while safeguarding a fair competitive environment.”
The authority said the amendments establish a clearer legal framework for the use of operational intelligence in competition cases and are expected to enhance enforcement against bid-rigging, price-fixing and other forms of cartel conduct.
