A Bill amending the Traffic Act passed the second reading in the Riigikogu

NordenBladet —

At today’s plenary sitting, the Riigikogu concluded the second reading of the Bill that provides for the requirements for the technology and equipment used by toll service providers and sets out the rights and obligations of both service providers and users.

The Bill on Amendments to the Traffic Act (414 SE), initiated by the Government, will transpose into Estonian law the European Union directive that provides for making the payment of road fees within the European Union more convenient. At the same time, a regulation for cross-border information exchange for cases of failure to pay a road fee will be established. In Estonia, road toll is not collected through automated identification, but the directive needs to be transposed to the minimum mandatory extent, that is, in respect of the provisions concerning the right of European Electronic Toll Service (EETS) providers to register their activities in every EU Member State. Therefore, every Member State must provide, in accordance with the directive, for the requirements for the technology and equipment used, and set out the rights and obligations of both service providers and users.

Tarmo Kruusimäe (Isamaa) took the floor during the debate.

A Bill passed the first reading

The Bill on Amendments to the European Union Common Agricultural Policy Implementation Act (439 SE), initiated by the Government, will establish the basis for the implementation of the measure activity “Support for the development of new advisors” in the Estonian Rural Development Plan 2014–2020. At the same time, on the basis of the transitional regulation, several deadlines relating to the implementation of the measures of the Estonian Rural Development Plan will be postponed by two years.

A Bill was dropped from the proceedings

The Bill on Amendments to § 8¹ of the Political Parties Act (disclosure the lists of members of political parties) (416 SE), initiated by the Estonian Conservative People’s Party Faction, was intended to put an end to the disclosure of the names of people who are members of political parties. The explanatory memorandum to the Bill pointed out that the disclosure of the names was not reasonable or justified because membership of a political party may affect a person’s prospects in the labour market.

Mart Helme (Estonian Conservative People’s Party) took the floor during the debate.

The lead committee moved to reject the Bill at the first reading. 48 members of the Riigikogu voted in favour of the motion and 16 voted against. Thus, the motion was supported and the Bill was dropped from the legislative proceedings.

Due to the end of the working hours of the sitting, the Bill on Amendments to the Preschool Child Care Institutions Act (415 SE), initiated by the Social Democratic Party Faction and Member of the Riigikogu Raimond Kaljulaid, was postponed to tomorrow’s sitting. The aim of the Bill is to ensure a free nursery place to every child. According to the Bill, parents’ obligation to pay the nursery fee will be eliminated, and the relevant cost will remain to be borne by the state.

Before discussing the items on the agenda, members of the Riigikogu asked numerous questions about remote-participation sittings. Then the Riigikogu decided with 62 votes in favour and 23 against that plenary sittings would be held by remote attendance from 10 to 25 November. Members of the parliament will be able to attend plenary sittings both in the session hall and by electronic means.

Verbatim record of the sitting (in Estonian)

The video recording of the sitting will be available on the Riigikogu YouTube channel.
(Please note that the recording will be uploaded with a delay.)

Source: Parliament of Estonia