European Foundation
for the Improvement of
Living and Working Conditions

The tripartite EU agency providing knowledge to assist
in the development of better social, employment and
work-related policies

EU PolicyWatch

Database of national-level policy measures

Eurofound's EU PolicyWatch collates information on the responses of government and social partners to the COVID-19 crisis, the war in Ukraine, rising inflation, as well as gathering examples of company practices aimed at mitigating the social and economic impacts.

Factsheet for measure LV-2022-11/2401 – measures in Latvia

Free regional public transport for Ukrainian refugees

Bezmaksas reģionālais sabiedriskais transports Ukrainas bēgļiem

Country Latvia , applies nationwide
Time period Open ended, started on 12 March 2022
Context War in Ukraine
Type Legislations or other statutory regulations
Category Measures to prevent social hardship
– Provision of services in kind (e.g. food vouchers)
Author Kriss Karnitis (EPC) and Eurofound
Measure added 23 May 2022 (updated 20 June 2022)

Background information

On 3 March 2022, the Latvian Parliament Saeima adopted the Law on Assistance to Ukrainian Civilians. The purpose of the Law is to provide assistance to Ukrainian civilians who leave Ukraine or who cannot return to Ukraine due to the armed conflict caused by the Russian Federation. The assistance specified in the Law is provided during the course of the armed conflict. Since it was introduced, the Law has been amended several times.

Section 7 part 8 of the Law sets in force that regional public transport for Ukrainian refugees is for free.

Content of measure

Section 7 part 8 of the Law that sets in force that regional public transport for Ukrainian refugees is for free was added to the law on 12 March 2022. According to the Law Ukrainian civilians have the right to use public transport (buses and trains) on regional routes free of charge.

To receive this service, Ukrainian refugees must present an identity document or other document proving that the person is a resident of Ukraine.

The rule does not apply to commercial regional bus routes marked with a capital letter "K" in the timetables. In turn, free travel on public transport in different municipalities is determined by the local government.

Use of measure

According to the information provided by the Road Transport Directorate, from 12 to 31 March, this opportunity was used 17,600 times - 7,100 times on buses and 10,500 times on trains.

Target groups

Workers Businesses Citizens
Does not apply to workers Does not apply to businesses Migrants or refugees

Actors and funding

Actors Funding
National government
Local / regional government
National funds

Social partners

Social partners' role in designing the measure and form of involvement:

Trade unions Employers' organisations
Role Informed Informed
Form Not applicable Not applicable

Social partners' role in the implementation, monitoring and assessment phase:

  • No involvement
  • Main level of involvement: Peak or cross-sectoral level

Involvement

No specific involvement to report.

Views and reactions

No specific views to report.

Sources

  • 14 March 2022: Legislative additional mechanisms to support the people of Ukraine (lvportals.lv)
  • 28 April 2022: Support for transport and communications sectors for Ukrainian refugees (www.atd.lv)
  • 23 May 2022: Law on Assistance to Ukrainian Civilians (likumi.lv)

Citation

Eurofound (2022), Free regional public transport for Ukrainian refugees, measure LV-2022-11/2401 (measures in Latvia), EU PolicyWatch, Dublin, https://static.eurofound.europa.eu/covid19db/cases/LV-2022-11_2401.html

Share

Eurofound publications based on EU PolicyWatch

30 January 2023

 

Measures to lessen the impact of the inflation and energy crisis on citizens

Governments across the EU continue to implement policies to support citizens and businesses in the face of rising food and energy prices caused by the COVID-19 crisis and intensified by the war in Ukraine. This article summarises the policy responses as reported in Eurofound's EU PolicyWatch database from January to September 2022.

Article

12 September 2022

 

First responses to cushion the impact of inflation on citizens

Although the worldwide pandemic situation had already disrupted supply chains and triggered increases in energy and food prices in 2021, the situation deteriorated in 2022 with the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Article

12 September 2022

 

Policies to support EU companies affected by the war in Ukraine

This article summarises the first policy responses that governments across the EU have started to implement to support companies affected by the rising prices, and those with commercial ties to Ukraine, Russia or Belarus.

Article

5 July 2022

 

Policies to support refugees from Ukraine

This article summarises the first policy responses of EU Member States, including those of the social partners and other civil society actors, enabling refugees to exercise their rights under the Temporary Protection Directive.

Article

Disclaimer: This information has not been subject to the full Eurofound evaluation, editorial and publication process.