IfG.CC - Regionen

Today 248

Yesterday 427

All 39461955

Customers of another private bank now have access to the public service portal Latvija.lv via their internet banking facilities, it was announced on 14 February 2012. eServices are now available to customers of five banks, as well as to Mobile-ID users and through the electronic signature issued by Latvian Post.

The Latvija.lv portal is the largest and most convenient site on the Internet for information and eServices of Latvian state institutions and local governments. Currently it has 44 eServices, as well as contact data for more than 1940 services provided by various government and local authorities. It is maintained and developed by the State Regional Development Agency (SRDA).

1 February 2012 marked the first anniversary of the introduction of the Virtual eSignature (Virtuālais eParaksts, in Latvian). Although the secure eSignature has been available in Latvia since 2006, its provider Latvia State Radio and Television Centre (LVRTC) considers the year 2011 as the turning point where the product became understandable and widely accessible. With the imminent introduction of the eID card, a third safe eSignature carrier will soon be available to the public.

One year after the introduction of the virtual eSignature, more than 10 000 persons have authenticated online at the eSignature website (www.eparaksts.lv), and there are currently around 5 000 smart card-based eSignature users. The number of smart cards issued has risen to almost twice that of 2010, the majority of the users being authorities and businesses; with the introduction of the virtual eSignature, the number of individuals making use of the smart card has decreased.

The holders of the smart card version of the secure Latvian eSignature (eParaksts) can now apply for a virtual eSignature and receive it from the comfort of their home, the Latvia State Radio and Television Centre (LSRTC) announced on 13 December 2011.

The virtual eSignature certificate allows one to sign a document electronically on the Latvian eSignature portal www.eparaksts.lv without having to use a smart card. Currently, the virtual eSignature may only be purchased by individuals, but it can be used for signing the documents of legal entities, if an individual has the required signatory rights.

The state will invest a total of LVL 32 million in the development of electronic government services in 2012, Minister of Environmental Protection and Regional Development Edmunds Sprudzs (Zatlers Reform Party) says in an interview with the Biznes&Baltija newspaper.

In 2013, LVL 16.4 million will be spent on the development of e-government services.

Over the past five years, approximately LVL 35 million was invested in the development of e-government services, writes LETA.

A recent poll reveals that 6 % of Internet users have employed an electronic signature (eParaksts, in Latvian) in their dealings with state and local government institutions.

The findings of a public opinion poll carried out by the Sociological Research Centre SKDS show that in the last 12 months, 62 % of Internet users have turned to the web for information about state and local government services. However, the Latvia State Radio and Television Centre (LVRTC) reports that only 6 % have communicated with such government institutions by submitting electronic documents signed with a secure eSignature.

Page 2 of 4

Start
Prev

FaLang translation system by Faboba

IfG.CC - The Potsdam eGovernment Competence Center

Services of Latvija.lv portal now available via online banking at a fifth bank

LV: Virtual eSignature celebrates first anniversary, eID ready to launch

LV: Virtual eSignature - Remote application enabled for smart card-based eSignature holders

LV: LVL 32 mln to be invested in development of e-government services in 2012

LV: Poll shows low eSignature use by citizens when dealing with government bodies