Latvian Open Technology Association has considerably contributed to popularize open standards and the potentials of open source based software application and to ensure equal competition in ICT tenders in Latvian public and private sectors.

The overall attitude towards using open source based software has improved – articles on the Internet indicate that the initially negative position is growing better, the society’s interest is increasing and some already have gained positive experience from working with open source based software. Both public and private sectors show enhanced interest in LATA’s activities on strengthening the competitiveness of Latvian ICT industry and the possible optimization of capital spent by institutions and companies on IT projects.

Remarkable achievement of LATA is the acknowledgement of the internationally approved open electronic document standard ODF (Open Document Format) as Latvian national standard in February 2009. It can be considered to be the first necessary step towards open document formats being used for state administration and public institution communication with individuals and businesses. Further steps include changing the according regulations by Cabinet of Ministers as well as working on adapting normative acts issued by State Chancellery.

LATA considers that they have achieved a noteworthy progress in cooperation with administrative institutions. For example, the Ministry of Education and Science has established a workgroup to assess the possibilities of using open source based software. Already at the first meeting the workgroup members shared the same opinion that there are no serious obstacles for delivering the same IT education standards in comprehensive schools if they are using open source based software. The options of using open source based, including free of charge, software for everyday work in the Ministry itself are also being weighed up.

The Ministry of Regional Development and Local Government and Latvian Open Technology Association have signed a memorandum on cooperation to develop the sector of information and communication technologies in Latvia. The goal of this cooperation is to stimulate Latvian ICT companies’ ability to export to international markets and their competitiveness in public and municipal ICT tenders thus ensuring fair and open competition and equal opportunities both for Latvian and foreign companies as well as for solutions that are based on commercial or non-commercial (open source) software.

The Ministry of Interior is carrying out a pilot project to evaluate the possible usage of free of charge office software package OpenOffice.org. Court Administration Division of Land Register Systems that is under direct subordination of Ministry of Justice has recently successfully started using OpenOffice.org in several of its units.

LATA members have developed Latvian ICT industry development programme and propose particular mechanisms for implementing it. The programme includes four basic directions that need considerable improving:

1. Changing the manner of administrating EU Structural Funds, assigning the most part of their resources to sustainable solutions with a potential to develop new products with high added value;
2. Changing tax laws to stimulate businesses to invest in information technologies thus enhancing Latvia’s competitiveness in export markets;
3. Changing the Electronic Documents Law, finally allowing complete introduction and use of electronic documents for communication between companies, institutions and individuals;
4. Introducing united state information technology policy administration. LATA has also discussed these proposals on industry development with the Latvian Information and Communications Technology Association and is planning to continue their cooperation directing the important issues for the industry to the state institutions for solving.

LATA also continues practical cooperation with state institutions. They carry out activities that stimulate effective usage of state budget as well as popularise open source solutions in the general public thus protecting LATA members and ICT industries interests in the state level.