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-2022-12/2413 – measures in Latvia

Reduced requirements to work as a taxi driver for Ukrainian refugees

Ukrainas bēgļiem atvieglotas prasības strādāt par taksometra vadītāju

Country Latvia , applies nationwide
Time period Open ended, started on 14 March 2022
Context War in Ukraine
Type Legislations or other statutory regulations
Category Ensuring business continuity and support for essential services
– Smoothing frictions or reallocation of workers
Author Kriss Karnitis (EPC) and Eurofound
Measure added 24 May 2022 (updated 14 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.

Amendments of 14 March 2022 included in the law reduced requirements for Ukrainian refugees to work as a taxi driver.

Content of measure

The law includes a provision that the registration of a resident of Ukraine in the register of taxi drivers as a person entitled to drive a vehicle in commercial passenger transport by taxi or commercial passenger transport by car does not require knowledge of the official language, as well as the obligation to prove that a ban on the right to drive has not been registered for a person if the driving license has been issued abroad.

In order for Ukrainian civilians to register with the Taxi Driver Register, a copy of a residence permit or long-stay visa with the right to employment without restrictions for up to one year, a copy of a driver's license and a photograph of a driver must be submitted.

Use of measure

According to the information provided by the Road Transport Directorate, 16 Ukrainian citizens have registered in the Register of Taxi Drivers by 22 April.

Target groups

Workers Businesses Citizens
Migrants or refugees in employment
Does not apply to businesses Does not apply to citizens

Actors and funding

Actors Funding
National government
No special funding required

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:

  • Social partners jointly
  • Main level of involvement: Peak or cross-sectoral level

Involvement

Both peak level social partner organisations, the Employers’ Confederation of Latvia (LDDK) and the Free Trade Union Confederation of Latvia (LBAS) are actively involved in providing assistance to Ukraine and Ukrainian refugees in different forms. Regarding Government’s actions, both organisations have expressed their support. As usual, regarding changes in legislation, social partners are at least informed, often consulted and agreed on outcome.

On April 21, a meeting of the National Tripartite Cooperation Council (NTSP) took place, where the government and its social partners - LBAS and LDDK discussed the impact of the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the subsequent sanctions imposed on Russia on the Latvian economy and the well-being of the Latvian population.

Views and reactions

No specific views to report.

Sectors and occupations

    • Economic area Sector (NACE level 2)
      H - Transportation And Storage H49 Land transport and transport via pipelines
    • Occupation (ISCO level 2)
      Drivers and mobile plant operators

Sources

  • 14 March 2022: Legislative additional mechanisms to support the people of Ukraine (lvportals.lv)
  • 22 April 2022: The NTSP meeting discusses the impact of the war in Ukraine on Latvia's economic situation (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), Reduced requirements to work as a taxi driver for Ukrainian refugees, measure LV-2022-12/2413 (measures in Latvia), EU PolicyWatch, Dublin, https://static.eurofound.europa.eu/covid19db/cases/LV-2022-12_2413.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.