Latvia's Ministry of Finance reported that Finance Minister Arvils Ašeradens met in Dublin with Ireland’s Finance Minister and Eurogroup President Paschal Donohoe and with Minister of State for Public Procurement, Digitalisation and eGovernment Emer Higgins to discuss macroeconomic stability, budget coordination, progress on the digital euro and priorities for capital markets integration, alongside security policy and continued support for Ukraine. The discussions highlighted a euro area growth forecast close to 1% in 2025 and the need for additional measures to restore the investment environment and strengthen competitiveness, with Latvia noting its exposure given that more than half of Latvia’s goods exports in 2024 were linked to the euro area market. Ašeradens argued that rising defence financing needs should be reflected in national fiscal indicators. On the digital euro, the ministers emphasised designing a solution that strengthens the resilience and sovereignty of Europe’s payments system while keeping cash as legal tender, with Latvia supporting a practical and secure digital euro that complements cash and prioritises accessibility and security, taking regional needs into account. Separately, Ašeradens and Higgins exchanged experience on making procurement systems more efficient and digital, including Latvia’s move to a unified accounting system, work on results-oriented budgeting and measures to improve the quality and transparency of public procurement, and Ireland’s procurement centralisation approach, including centralised electricity purchasing for schools.

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