Regulations Regarding the Central Authorities of Latvia and Cooperation in Connection with the Simplification of Requirements for Presenting Public Documents in the European Union

Issued pursuant to
Section 3, Paragraph three of the Document Legalisation Law

1. This Regulation prescribes the central authorities of Latvia, the allocation of the functions thereof and the procedures by which, in conformity with Regulation (EU) 2016/1191 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 6 July 2016 on promoting the free movement of citizens by simplifying the requirements for presenting certain public documents in the European Union and amending Regulation (EU) No 1024/2012 (hereinafter - the Regulation), they shall perform the activities referred to therein and cooperate with the State and local government authorities of Latvia and foreign states.

2. The central authorities of Latvia in conformity with Article 15(1) of the Regulation are the Ministry of the Interior and the Ministry of Justice.

3. The central authority of Latvia in conformity with Article 15(2) of the Regulation is the Ministry of Justice.

4. With regard to the documents referred to in Article 2(1), points (a), (b), (c), (d), (e), (f), (i) and (j) and Article 2(2) of the Regulation the functions of the central authority prescribed in the Regulation shall be implemented by the Ministry of Justice but with regard to the documents referred to in Article 2(1), points (k), (l) and (m) of the Regulation - by the Ministry of the Interior.

5. The central authority of Latvia shall approach an authority of Latvia which is not registered in the system referred to in Article 13 of the Regulation (hereinafter - the system) and exchange information using the mutually accessible effective means of communication.

6. The central authority of Latvia shall approach the authority of another European Union Member State and exchange information directly or with the intermediation of the central authority of the respective Member State.

7. If the central authority of Latvia receives a request for information referred to in Article 14(1)(b) of the Regulation from the authority of a European Union Member State or the central authority of the respective Member State, it shall immediately forward the request for information to the authority of Latvia which issued the public document or, where appropriate, to the authority of Latvia which prepared the certified copy, or to both abovementioned authorities for the provision of a response.

8. If the central authority of Latvia receives the request referred to in Paragraph 7 of this Regulation, but the authority of Latvia which issued the public document or, where appropriate, the authority of Latvia which prepared the certified copy is not registered in the system, it shall immediately forward the request for information to the authority of Latvia which issued the public document or, where appropriate, to the authority of Latvia which prepared the certified copy, or to both abovementioned authorities for the provision of a response. The central authority of Latvia may request the necessary information from the respective authority of Latvia and provide a response itself.

9. According to the allocation of functions referred to in Paragraph 4 of this Regulation, the central authority of Latvia shall create a mechanism for administrative co-operation in the system according to the competence thereof. The central authority of Latvia shall facilitate the registration of the authorities within its competence and subordination, select and allocate the appropriate functions thereto, as well as organise and supervise the fulfilment of the duties prescribed by the Regulation, including:

9.1. shall ensure the notification of information to the European Commission in accordance with Article 22(1) and (2) of the Regulation;

9.2. shall provide assistance to the authorities of Latvia in order to facilitate the application of the Regulation.

Prime Minister A. K. Kariņš

Deputy Prime Minister,
Minister for Justice J. Bordāns

Translation © 2019 Valsts valodas centrs (State Language Centre)