Dear Ms Avotniece-Vīksna,

Thank you for your email and for reaching out regarding the EIB-supported assessment. We would be pleased to participate in the interview. The representatives from the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications of Estonia will be:

Martti Kalvik - Strategic Planning Manager

Kadri Kala - Head of Focus Area

We would be available for an online meeting at the following times:

17 September 2026: 11:00-13:00 (EET)

23 September 2026: 14:00-17:00 (EET)

24 September 2026: 11:00-15:00 (EET)

Please let us know which option would suit your team best.

Kind regards,

Kadri Kala

Dear Sir or Madam,

As part of the European Investment Bank (EIB)-supported assessment of Latvia's smart specialisation strategy, we would highly appreciate the opportunity to interview a representative of your institution involved in smart specialisation, innovation policy or related strategic planning activities. The interview is expected to last approximately 45-60 minutes and will be conducted online.

The purpose of the interview is to better understand current and future policy directions, validate our preliminary assessment of smart specialisation priorities across the Baltic States, and identify opportunities for stronger Baltic cooperation in research and innovation. In particular, we would welcome perspectives on the following topics:

• The current and future development of smart specialisation priorities in the Baltic States;

 • Opportunities for closer alignment of smart specialisation sector definitions across Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia;

 • Areas with the greatest potential for Baltic-scale cooperation;

 • Opportunities for joint flagship projects and participation in cross-border innovation consortia;

 • Possible governance and implementation approaches to strengthen Baltic cooperation in research and innovation.

We would therefore be grateful if you could nominate an appropriate representative from your institution and indicate their availability for an interview in the coming weeks.

For context, the interview forms part of a broader effort to explore opportunities for closer alignment of smart specialisation priorities across the Baltic States. The objective is to identify thematic areas with strong potential for cross-border cooperation, the development of joint innovation ecosystems and flagship projects involving Latvian, Lithuanian and Estonian stakeholders. As a starting point, we have reviewed the smart specialisation priorities currently applied in Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia and mapped corresponding thematic areas to identify common domains that could serve as a basis for enhanced Baltic cooperation. The preliminary mapping is presented below.

Thank you in advance for your time and consideration. We would be pleased to provide any additional information if required.

Kind regards,

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