On 14th April representatives of CERN and the Republic of Latvia gathered in a virtual ceremony to sign an Agreement admitting Latvia into the Organization as an Associate Member State. The Associate Membership will enter into force once CERN has been informed that all the necessary accession and ratification processes have been completed by Latvia. Latvia is the third of the Baltic States to join the CERN family after agreements were signed with Lithuania and Estonia in recent years.
“We are delighted to welcome Latvia as a new Associate Member State,” said Fabiola Gianotti, CERN Director-General, at the signing ceremony. “The present Agreement contributes to strengthening the ties between CERN and Latvia, thereby offering opportunities for the further growth of particle physics in Latvia through partnership in research, technological development and education.”
As an Associate Member State, Latvia will be entitled to appoint representatives to attend meetings of the CERN Council and Finance Committee. Its nationals will be eligible for limited-duration staff positions and fellowships, and its industry will be entitled to bid for CERN contracts, increasing opportunities for industrial collaboration in advanced technologies.
