Background information

On 23 January 2024, the Cabinet of Ministers approved the Regulations project elaborated by the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Regional Development on providing support to municipalities for the purchase of emission-free vehicles, promoting the transition to a climate-neutral economy. The measure is regulated by Cabinet Regulation No 65 - Rules for the implementation of

• measure 6.1.1.6 ‘Promotion of the use of emission-free vehicles in municipalities’
• of specific support objective 6.1.1 ‘Mitigation of economic, social and environmental consequences of the transition to climate neutrality in the most affected regions’
• of the European Union Cohesion Policy Programme for the period 2021-2027.

Content of measure

The measure supports the purchase of M2 or M3 electric buses and M1 specialised electric vehicles and the development of charging infrastructure to support their operation. The purchased zero-emission vehicles will be used by municipalities to provide, for example, transport of pupils to municipal educational institutions, transport of social institutions or social service clients to places where social services are provided or received, and other needs. The total planned funding for the measure is €24.9 million, including €21.17 million from the Just Transition Fund and at least €3.73 million co-financing from municipalities.
The selection of projects will be organised through an open call for proposals. Preference will be given to projects with a lower amount of JTF funding per passenger transported and passenger transport from or to at least two territorial units (towns or municipalities) of the municipality, as well as to projects which plan to decommission fossil fuel-powered vehicles owned by the municipality.

Use of measure

As a result of the measure, municipalities are expected to purchase at least 38 zero-emission vehicles and carry at least 323 000 passengers (in the calendar year following the purchase). Until December 31, 2024, 10 projects have been approved in various Latvian municipalities.

Target groups

Workers	Businesses	Citizens
Does not apply to workers	Does not apply to businesses	Applies to all citizens

Actors and funding

Actors	Funding
National government Local / regional government	European Funds

Social partners

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

	Trade unions	Employers' organisations
Role	No involvement as case not in social partner domain	No involvement as case not in social partner domain
Form	Not applicable	Not applicable

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

• No involvement
• Main level of involvement: N/A

Involvement

No involvement

Views and reactions

No specific views to report

Sources

• 23 January 2024: Pašvaldībām bezemisiju transportlīdzekļu iegādei piešķirs Taisnīgas pārkārtošanās fonda finansējumu 21,17 milj. eiro apmērā (lvportals.lv)
• 28 February 2024: CFLA: 6.1.1.6. Bezemisiju transportlīdzekļu izmantošanas veicināšana pašvaldībās, 1. kārta (www.cfla.gov.lv)
• 20 March 2024: 6.1.1.6. pasākums „Bezemisiju transportlīdzekļu izmantošanas veicināšana pašvaldībās” (www.varam.gov.lv)