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The fast development of information and communication technologies (ICT), the increased speed of scientific and technological progress, and the increase of global competition has led to the growing importance of knowledge and technology for economic development. Many countries and regions are seeking to shift their economies to more knowledge-intensive ones. For developing economies, these shifts in the role of knowledge in the economy present both challenges and opportunities. Traditional industrial development strategies that rely on commodity production of manufactures or routine assembly, or services clearly have limits in terms of growth -- unless the ways to leverage knowledge can be found and used to enhance the processes of products and production to add value to customers and end-users. All economies now need to develop resources and capabilities to acquire and apply new knowledge. This paper illustrates the innovative approach that strengthens the capacity of SMEs in transition to knowledge economy as well as cooperation between governmental institutions and SMEs for empowerment of people in regional development context. Continuing professional education, life long learning, and effective use of ICT and Knowledge Management (KM) is an effective instrument for the organisations to meet the global challenges of knowledge economy successfully. Innovative approaches are used to reach the regional development goals. The paper reports on the set approaches designed and piloted in Distance Education study centre of Riga Technical University. The project was funded by the European Structural Found (ESF): project "Continuing Education Programme to Strengthen the Capacity of SMEs by Developing ICT Infrastructure and Knowledge Management" No.: VPD1/ESF/PIAA/05/APK/3.2.4.2./0037/0007 financed by the European Union. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper studies the role of small and medium enterprises in the economic growth of the region, and the perspectives of SMEs business development based on the survey of leaders of the SMEs of Latgale region. 443 leaders of small and medium enterprises participated in this survey. The research has practical meaning. The paper displays the research results on business problems and development perspectives in Latgale region, business credit and assets of the Europe Union fund. Small and medium size enterprises have a lot of difficulties, yet one of the most important problems is connected with finances. The use of credits may enhance the improvement of the competitive capacity and enlargement of business. Leaders of the enterprises have mentioned that the possibility to use the European Union structural funds is really great, and it would help render services or enlarge their business. Businessmen need greater support, since credit drawing up is very complicated, and do not advance business start-up and development. The research confirms the hypothesis -- qualitative guarantee system would promote business start-up and development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the recent 30 years the structure and development of the tax systems of European countries has shown the peculiarities of the European Union in comparison with the main international experiences outside the Europe (USA and Japan) and in a wider comparison with the area of the OECD. A tax burden is higher on average in the area of the EU than in the area of the OECD; the European countries rely more on social contributions and less on consumption taxes; a larger part of tax revenues is allocated to the social security sector and a smaller part to the local governments; labour taxes and their contribution to the total tax revenues is higher in Europe than in the OECD. The Paper deals with the structure of the tax systems of individual old European countries, as well as the prospects of development of the personal income tax within the framework of ensuring horizontal and vertical equity. The tax system of any country must ensure the increase of the level of population's welfare, which is shown also by the indices of GDP per capita. Suggestions are given about experiences of which countries should be taken into account to improve the quality of life of the Latvian rural and urban population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The idea of a “unitary patent” that would be effective within the whole EU may be carried out through the system provided by a unitary court protection. The Court of Justice of the European Union is not suitable for this purpose. The idea of the European “unitary patent” faces a dilemma. On the one hand, different courts and institutions engaged with validity of a patent come to principally similar or identical answers regarding the same statements of questions. On the other hand, it is exactly how the institutional independence of judges is manifested in the Constitution of the Republic of Latvia. By withdrawing this prerogative from national courts, a part of sovereignty is inevitably lost. It is also noteworthy that in Latvia, where issues related to justice administration usually take up an import role, there has been no resonance regarding the establishment process of the European “unitary patent” up to now. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the Bilateral Investment Treaty (hereinafter BIT) is the most important and the most effective investment rights' protection measure, the most significant obstacle to successful investment rights' protection in the territory of the Crimea is the BIT jurisdiction. The Ukraine can refer to force majeure protection as well as not having the jurisdiction, giving the reason that the Ukraine is not exercising effective control in Crimea. Russia can reject its signed BITs jurisdiction in Crimea. The argument for rejection could be that at the BIT conclusion moment, Crimea was not a part of Russia and thereby the BIT jurisdiction is not referable to Crimea. If the investor - claimant's state did not recognize the annexation of Crimea, arbitration's acquiesce of jurisdiction in accordance with the BIT is ambiguous. Russian investors in Crimea have lost their foreign status and thereby the UkraineRussia BIT protection. Generally, there is a small possibility of using the BITs concluded by Russia or the Ukraine. The most favourable for Russian investors is the European Court of Human Rights protection. Considering the jurisprudence of the European Court of Human Rights, it is possible to attribute the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms jurisdiction to Russian investment rights' violation in Crimea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Contemporary philosophy and sociology denies sharp opposition between humans and the forms of natural environment, acknowledging that 1) human beings themselves manifest one the highest forms in the development of life; 2) in the process of socialization pragmatic life-style causes real dangers to diverse natural ecosystems because of the achievements of civilization, science and technology. High technologies replace primitive and brutal forms of production in the post-industrial society. As a result new global forms of consumption and satisfaction of vital needs are developing, characterized by ecological products, life in sustainable natural environment. The culture of a healthy life-style. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the administrative territories with small number of population, deficiency of infrastructure and resources for municipalities' function can be observed. According to this, already in the 90ties, reform of local governments was initiated in Latvia. The cabinet, basing on principles of local governments in European Charter (1985), accepted conception of the reform. The Law „On Administrative-Territorial Division Project of local governments' was carried in 2006 but rules on administrative division of local governments were issued in 2008. According to the law on Administrative-territorial reform, it is envisaged to implement administrative territorial reform of the municipalities till election of local municipalities in June 2009 (deadline - 31 January, 2009). Its' aim is to form administrative territories with local governments able to develop independently which would secure qualitative service to population. Unfinished reform makes difficulties to local government election's process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]