The value added tax (VAT) on vegetables, berries, and fruit specific to Latvia will be set at 12 % next year, according to amendments to the Value Added Tax Law adopted by the Saeima in the final reading. The amendments also stipulate that from next year VAT will not apply to fees for sports competitions and activities organised by associations or foundations, or to fees for children's stays at camps. The amendments are related to the 2024 state budget.

On Wednesday, 6 December, the Saeima adopted in the final reading amendments to the Consumer Rights Protection Law, providing for a 30 % compensation of total interest payments for borrowers of mortgage loans. 

Currently, the annual Transatlantic Forum of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly (PA) and the Atlantic Council is taking place in Washington, D.C., the capital of the U.S. MPs from the Alliance's member states are discussing the implementation of the Vilnius Summit decisions and preparations for the Washington Summit next year.

On Thursday, 30 November, the Saeima adopted the Law “On the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence Against Women and Domestic Violence” (also known as the Istanbul Convention).

On Friday, 24 November, at the 42nd Session of the Baltic Assembly (BA), MPs from Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania discussed the achievements of the Estonian Presidency and agreed on the cooperation priorities for Lithuania’s Presidency of the BA in 2024. The first priority for 2024 is: Baltic region confident in its security, development, and resilience.

The war in Ukraine has indeed brought about a paradigm shift in approaching security issues in Europe. The Baltic States not only knew and understood Russia's intentions, but also, with their active efforts, empowered the strong allied response to Russia’s aggression. This was underlined by Antoņina Ņenaševa, Deputy Speaker of the Saeima, addressing the 42nd Session of the Baltic Assembly (BA) in Tallinn on Friday, 24 November.

On Thursday, 23 November, the Saeima adopted a statement on support for the opening of European Union accession negotiations with Ukraine and Moldova.

To promptly alleviate the adverse impact of the extraordinary rise in energy prices on households with low to medium low incomes, on Thursday, 23 November, the Saeima adopted in the third and final reading the Law on State Aid for Energy Supply Costs. 

On Thursday, 23 November, Dr. art. Arnolds Laimonis Klotiņš received the Baltic Assembly (BA) Prize for Science at the award ceremony in Tallinn, the capital of Estonia. The Prize was awarded for his monographs Mūzika pēckara staļinismā: Latvijas mūzikas dzīve un jaunrade 1944–1953 (Music in Post-war Stalinism: Latvian Music Life and Creativity 1944–1953) and Mūzika bēgļu gaitās: Latviešu mūzikas dzīve un jaunrade pēckara Eiropā 1944–1951 (Music in Exodus: Latvian Musical Life and Creative Work in Post-war Europe 1944–1951).

During its Presidency of the Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers, Latvia has steadfastly supported Ukraine, actively working to ensure that justice would prevail, highlighted Zanda Kalniņa-Lukaševica, Deputy Speaker of the Saeima and Head of the Latvian delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE). On Tuesday, 21 November, the Latvian delegation to PACE met with representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to discuss the results of Latvia’s Presidency.