AI tool to identify excessive EU rules in Latvia

Latvia’s bureaucracy reduction action group is preparing an artificial intelligence tool to identify cases where the country has implemented European requirements too strictly, LSM reported, citing an interview with group head Jānis Endziņš on Latvian Radio.

Endziņš said such work would previously have been time-consuming and almost impossible, but the new tool could help produce a full list of areas where Latvia has gone beyond European requirements.

He cited as an example the requirement for medium-sized and large companies to have their annual reports reviewed by a sworn auditor. According to Endziņš, Latvia has also extended this requirement to some small companies.

Similar cases of overly strict regulation exist in agriculture and other sectors, he said.

The AI tool has already gone through several test versions and could begin operating in August. Endziņš said it would not be 100% accurate, but would support checks and discussions about which rules could be changed.

He also proposed using a similar tool to analyse draft legislation. Ministries could use it to assess whether the benefits of a requirement outweigh the burden before introducing it.

The action group has prepared a fourth package of 25 proposals to reduce bureaucracy in healthcare and public administration. Endziņš said he hoped the government could review them in the coming weeks.