On September 25, the trade mission will be joined by Prime Minister Evika Silina (New Unity) to participate in a business forum and meet with senior officials from Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. The trade mission will bring together Latvian companies from various sectors. The thematic programs for companies will be organized in seven areas: defense industry, construction, logistics, biotechnology, smart energy, financial technology and information technology.
Valainis emphasized that this is the largest trade mission ever for Latvian entrepreneurs and the largest business delegation ever hosted by Hamburg and Rostock. The Economics Minister explained that the aim of the visit is to increase Latvian exports to Germany by 10 percent and to initiate at least four new investment projects.
In Hamburg, Riga Technical University and HafenCity University will sign a Memorandum of Understanding on closer cooperation in research and the development of sustainable urban solutions. Valainis will meet with Hamburg's Finance Senator Andreas Dressel to discuss public sector support models for fintech companies and the development of digital services where Latvian companies can offer their solutions to Germany.
The mission will pay special attention to green energy projects, meeting with Hamburg's Vice Mayor Katharina Fegebank and leading Hamburg energy companies.
The largest Latvian public-private partnership projects, including Rail Baltica and Riga Airport development projects, will also be presented in Hamburg, LIAA informed. Valainis will also meet with Hamburg's Senator for Economy and Innovation Melanie Leonhard to discuss economic cooperation between Latvia and Hamburg and the further development of the Maritime Technology and Digital Innovation Memorandum signed in June. The Memorandum brings together partners such as Latvijas Mobilais Telefons, Riga Freeport, Elektroniskie Sakari and LVR Flote from Latvia, as well as Hamburg Port Authority and the Port of Hamburg Fleet from Germany.
LIAA informed that the Latvia-Germany Business Day in Rostock will bring together more than 250 participants focusing on the development of the energy, digitalization, infrastructure and defense industries. The event will be opened by Silina and the Prime Minister of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Manuela Schwesig. Panel discussions will be organized with Wallen, Wolfgang Blank, Minister for Economic Affairs of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, as well as Latvian and German business leaders.
The Latvian delegation will also visit the Rostock-based Nordex Energy plant, one of the largest wind turbine manufacturing centers in Europe, and H2APEX, a company developing green hydrogen production and infrastructure. A visit is also planned to EEW Special Pipe Construction, which manufactures the basic structures for offshore wind farms and has expressed interest in development opportunities in Latvia.
LIAA Director Ieva Jagere pointed out that Latvia has historically developed close economic ties with Germany, and especially Northern Germany. Germany is the largest manufacturing country in Europe by volume, and the value of its industrial production accounts for 20 percent of gross domestic product (GDP), compared to an average of 15 percent in the European Union (EU) and 13 percent in Latvia. This opens up a wide range of opportunities for cooperation and value chains with German companies, Jagere pointed out.
LIAA points out that Germany is the third largest economy in the world and one of the leading innovation and industrial powers. It is Latvia's second most important foreign trade partner with a total trade volume of EUR 4.98 billion in 2024. Germany is also Latvia's third largest export market, second largest import partner and the main destination for Latvia's services exports. In the first half of 2025, exports of goods to Germany increased by 4 percent to EUR 641.7 million, while exports of services increased by 6 percent to EUR 355 million.