EU Twinning Project: ‘’Strengthening of the Market Surveillance System”
Based in Consumer Rights Protection Centre, Ministry of Economics, Republic of Latvia

Background of the Project

“Twinning” is an initiative of the European Commission, launched in 1998 in the context of preparation for enlargement of the European Union and to give assistance to candidate countries to strengthen their administrative and judicial capacity.  Twinning continues to play a vital role in the context of Institution Building in the new Member States under the Transition Facility.  The objective of this project is to strengthen the capacity of the CRPC through the transfer of expertise and knowledge from U.K. consumer protection and market surveillance bodies to counterpart institutions in Latvia, in accordance with EU Directives.  Twinning is a joint process, not a one-way delivery of technical assistance, in which each partner takes on responsibilities.  Objectives include introducing market surveillance procedures in specified fields, raising the competence of the staff through training, design of training and qualification procedures, data collection system on injuries related with products and services in accordance with EU Directives.