Code of Ethics
Riga
26.03.2015. Nr.1-10/2
Issued according the
State Administration Structure Law
section 72, paragraph one, clause 2
I. General Provisions
1. The State Agency of Medicines (hereinafter: the Agency) performs the delegated duties by rendering services within the framework of its professional competence, interests of society and ethical requirements. The objective of the Agency Code of Ethics (hereinafter: the Code) is defining basic principles which would let evaluating ethics and propriety of action. The Code contains principles, norms and recommendations of professional ethics and behavior, respect of which facilitates building up a positive image of the Agency within the society and fosters achieving the objectives of the Agency.
2. The principles, norms and recommendations of the Code are binding to all the employees and officers irrespective of their position or duration of labour relations (hereinafter: the employees).
3. The ethical value of the Code is expressed by ethical standards guiding the Agency employees to fair action and forming the corporative culture of the Agency.
II. Basic principles
4. Independence un Neutrality
4.1. An employee is independent and neutral in his/ her action, decisions and judgments, he/ she observes the Constitution of the Republic of Latvia, normative acts, internal normative acts and basic principles of the Code.
4.2. An employee is independent in his/her professional action and decision making process, he/ she is not influenced by a participation in parties, political movements and organizations, he/ she dissociates from personal interests or interests of other physical or legal entities or political, religious or social groups.
4.3. Application of neutrality is a precondition in achieving a positive image of the Agency within the society.
5. Justice and Impartiality
5.1. An employee acts in a fair way, observing equality of persons and not chartering anybody
5.2. Justice is a standard of mutual relations for each employee.
5.3. An objective judgement is grounded on a person’s action and consequences not on his/ her personality or intentions.
5.4. An employee has a deep legal awareness, he/ she acts professionally in accordance with the normative acts and general legal requirements.
5.5. Review of cases is performed on their merits and objectively.
5.6. Accuracy in cooperation with colleagues, clients and society as a whole is a manifestation of respect and attention.
6. Publicity and Loyalty
6.1. An employee observes the principle of publicity in accordance with the national normative acts and the Agency normative acts. Hiding or abetment of illegitimate action is not admissible.
6.2. When making public statements an employee clarifies if he/ she is expressing his/ her own views or the Agency opinion. The Agency opinion must be approved by the Agency administration.
6.3. An employee with his/ her attitude, statements and behaviour is responsible for the Agency image within the society.
6.4. An employee is loyal to the Agency and complies with the operational objectives and basic values.
6.5. An employee respects others, their professional requirements and legal interests.
7. Confidentiality
Information which has become available while fulfilling the duties must be treated as confidential and must not be revealed or used for other purposes, including turning against some person or institution, and must not be used to gratify personal interests.
8. Proportionality
8.1. While fulfilling his/ her duties, an employee demonstrates equality to all his/ her clients and does not grant privileges or exemptions to anybody if not stated by the normative acts.
8.2. While fulfilling his/ her duties, an employee ensures that means used are compatible with the objectives.
8.3. While making decisions and rendering services to clients, an employee does not harm general interests of the society, but respects legal interests of natural persons.
III. Ethical behaviour
9. An employee is polite, with a proper behavior in respect to colleagues, clients and society. An employee does not allow insulting colleagues and clients. An employee is not arrogant and authoritarian in respect to colleagues, he/ she takes into account others’ views and considers them professionally.
10. An employee cooperates with the colleagues by providing and receiving assistance and does not malpractice.
11. An employee collaborates with colleagues, giving and receiving the necessary help on professional duties, and not exploit colleague's trust.
12. An employee is polite in respect to the clients and society. When replying to letters, calls and e-mails an employee is forthcoming. If an employee cannot answer the questions, he/ she points to other employee or institution having competence in solving the issue.
13. An employee refrains from accepting gifts, discounts, entertainments, exercise of grace or gratitude if it raises doubts on objectivity of an employee or the Agency.
14. An employee must not use things containing brand names of manufacturers, wholesalers, marketing authorisation holders or pharmacies, and trade names or slogans of medicines etc. except these things are necessary for the discharge of duties (for example, for approval of advertisements).
15. An employee refrains from by-work and holding of more than one job if this situation may raise concerns of potential, supposed or real conflict of interests *.
16. An employee does not take part in businesses raising concerns of conflict of interest.
17. An employee uses the property of the Agency economically and rationally. An employee restricts the use on Internet, telephone and other resources.
IV. Duties and Responsibilities
18. Each employee is entitled to:
18.1. make an independent decision or participate in decision making process within the framework of his/her professional competence and position;
18.2. express his/ her opinion freely and defend his opinion within the framework of his/her professional competence and position;
18.3. receive appropriate estimation and respectful attitude;
18.4. privacy.
19. Each employee is obliged:
19.1. to solve problems and consider other views in the ambience of respect, frankness, understanding and good fellowship;
19.2. to observe generally accepted manners during the working hours and leisure time, recognizing that every employee’s behaviour and conduct affect the Agency's overall image and prestige of public administration in society.
19.3. to observe professional etiquette and corporate culture; to promote public confidence to the Agency by the correct behaviour, appearance and posture.
19.4. to facilitate good relations between colleagues;
19.5. to solve the conflicts in an effective manner;
19.6. not to take part in intrigues and forming destructive groupings within the staff;
19.7. not to use trust, incompetence, mistakes or lack of experience of colleagues, subordinate or superior persons to gain a selfish advantage;
19.8. to inform colleagues on topical issues and share the experience which may be useful;
19.9. to profess unethical action and set things right.
20. Director, his/ her deputies and heads of the departments are obliged to:
20.1. inform the employees on further actions and perspectives;
20.2. furnish the employees with a necessary and topical information;
20.3. facilitate professional and personal development of employees;
20.4. promote a creative approach and initiative in employees;
20.5. discuss a misdoing of an employee with the employee individually.
V. Regulations regarding ethical conduct in communication with lobbyists
21. In communication with lobbyists, Employee shall ensure equal opportunities for all parties to meet with persons responsible for adoption and preparation of decisions and to receive required information.
22. In meeting with a lobbyist, Employee shall identify the lobbyist and the person the lobbyist is representing (name, surname or title of the person represented or legal entity represented), shall ensure minutes of the meetings and publication of information regarding meetings on Agency’s website (time of the meeting, participants, preparation process of the specific decision or area which the lobbying is related to).
23. Upon adoption of decision or conduct of work responsibilities, an Employee shall take into account interests of the public as a whole, not only the interests supported by the lobbyist.
24. Employee shall publicly reveal information (to higher‑ranking officials) regarding Employee’s own economic interests or those of Employee’s family members, if these interests are or could be related to the conduct of work responsibilities, and shall resign from work responsibilities or adoption of decisions in situations where the adopted or prepared decision may influence or may create suspicion that it influences the personal or material interests of the Employee or Employee’s family members, as well as the interests of organisations the Employee is involved in or their sponsors.
25. Employee shall not become involved with or represent individuals, merchants or organisations as a lobbyist in a state or local government institution with or without compensation.
26. Employee shall not accept gifts, offers of hospitality or other goods (transport, accommodation, food and drink service fee coverage or any other type of material goods) from a lobbyist or an organisation for Employee’s own needs or those of Employee’s family members or for the organisation the Employee is involved with.
27. Employee shall not use his or her employment status or personal contacts to ensure access for any of the lobbyists to higher‑ranking officials responsible for adoption of decisions that are of interest to the lobbyist.
28. Employee shall not mislead the lobbyist by creating an impression that the Employee can ensure access to higher‑level officials or influence decisions adopted by these officials.
29. Employee is forbidden from requesting lobbyists or organisations employing the lobbyist to provide material support for events organised by institutions the Employee is employed at or organisations the Employee is involved with.
VI. Closing Provisions
30. Each employee is aware of the standards of the Code.
31. Submissions or complaints regarding violations of the norms stipulated by the Code shall be reviewed by the Ethics Commission in accordance with its bylaws.
32. In case the norms of the Code are not observed or some recommendations arise each employee is entitled to apply the Ethics Commission according to the procedure stipulated by the Ethics Commission Regulation.
33. The Ethics Commission makes decisions on any amendments to the Code.
34. The Director of the Agency approves any amendments to the Code.
35. The Code shall come into force from the moment of signing and thereby the Code of Ethics approved by the State Agency of Medicines’ Order No. 1-6/22 on 17 June 2005 shall become void.
Director I.Adovica
* conflict of interest is a situation where an employee, upon carrying out their duties at the Agency, adopts a decision or participates in the preparation or adoption of a decision that is related to or can be applied to personal or material interests of the employee, their relatives or business associates.
