Seminar Held at Jekabpils, Latvia, 16–17 September 1999.

Transition to market economy has led to radical reforms in the Baltic countries. Further pressures for rapid social development are coming from their anticipated accession to
the European Union. For Latvia, the common European social protection would mean substantial changes in both the level and the contents of the present social security system.

The role of social insurance in health promotion was the main topic in the joint Finnish-Latvian seminar. The seminar aimed at initiating a value discussion around the
themes and fostering networks involving the actors in the two countries, especially those responsible for the social insurance systems and the research community. One of the aims was to gather information about the Healthy Cities processes under way in Latvia.