Analytics, Baltic, Legislation, Markets and Companies, Taxation
International Internet Magazine. Baltic States news & analytics
Tuesday, 09.06.2026, 06:22
Most attractive business environment in Estonia, most problematic – in Lithuania
Print version
The study is based on a survey of 500 entrepreneurs as well as in-depth interviews with entrepreneurs and entrepreneurship experts in the Baltic States.
Entrepreneurs in Lithuania and Latvia identify tax rates as the most significant obstacle to doing business, whereas entrepreneurs in Estonia name inflation. In Latvia and Lithuania, serious hindrances include frequent changes to laws and regulations. The third most important problem mentioned for Latvia is access to financial resources, in Lithuania – anti-competitive practices by other market participants. This issue is also mentioned as very common in Estonia.
Businessmen in Latvia, in comparison to other Baltic countries, rarely believe that a majority of enterprises in Latvia are transparent in their business practices. Lithuanian entrepreneurs rarely comply with limits; they take risks, comply with laws and regulations and value quality higher than prices. They plan their businesses in the long run, practice transparency and cooperate with other companies for the benefit of a common goal more often. The majority of entrepreneurs in Estonia very rarely mention business planning in the long run, but mention the factors of risk-taking and caring for the environment more frequently than in the other two countries.
Source: Stockholm School of Economics in Riga
Business community members in Lithuania and Latvia largely focus on collaboration with German, Russian and Polish entrepreneurs, while Estonians are more interested in collaboration with partners from Nordic countries. More than half of respondents hold the opinion that a large percentage of entrepreneurs from the Baltic States pay great importance to the company's reputation. When characterizing themselves, Baltic businessmen most frequently mention such traits as being hardworking, diligent, enterprising and competitive.
According to the study, only one-third of respondents believe that Latvian, Estonian and Lithuanian companies take social and environmental issues seriously.
«The Baltic Course» Is Sold and Stays in Business!
