Two Bills related to state budget passed the first reading

The Riigikogu started the sitting by continuing the first reading of the Bill on Amendments to the Traffic Act and the Road Transport Act (302 SE), initiated by the Government. The daily road user charge rate, which is currently between EUR 9 and 12, would be set between EUR 4 and 40 under the Bill. The annual road user charge would increase from the current EUR 500–1,300 to EUR 200–2,000. When road user charges are differentiated, the more polluting and heavier vehicles will pay proportionally more than less polluting vehicles. In addition, the Bill proposes fines for persons who allow others to drive or drive themselves trucks or lorries without paying the road user charges or paying lower charges than required.

Mart Maastik (Isamaa), Rain Epler (Estonian Conservative People’s Party), and Jaak Aab (Centre Party) took the floor during the debate.

Isamaa, Estonian Conservative People’s Party, and the Centre Party Parliamentary Groups moved to reject the Bill at the first reading. 29 members of the Riigikogu voted in favour of the motion and 46 voted against. The Bill passed the first reading.

The Bill on Amendments to the Earth’s Crust Act (296 SE), initiated by the Government, also passed the first reading. The Bill provides an eight year transition period for charges for transferring the right to mine on an immovable owned by the state. During the transition period, the charge for transferring the right to mine on an immovable owned by the state will increase every year by up to 50 per cent compared to the current charge, until the new charge rates that reflect the new taxable value of the land are reached.

The purpose of the Bill is to allow the producers to adapt gradually to the increased taxation rates, which should also alleviate the price pressure on consumers. The amendments to the Earth’s Crust Act that come into force next year provide that the charge for transferring the right to mine on an immovable owned by the state will be three percent of the taxable value of the land.

Maria Jufereva-Skuratovski (Centre Party), Rain Epler (Estonian Conservative People’s Party), and Helir-Valdor Seeder (Isamaa) took the floor during the debate.

Isamaa, Estonian Conservative People’s Party, and the Centre Party Parliamentary Groups moved to reject the Bill at the first reading. 14 members of the Riigikogu voted in favour of the motion and 50 voted against. The Bill passed the first reading.

The first reading of the Bill on Amendments to the Environmental Charges Act and the Forest Act (300 SE), initiated by the Government, was adjourned. The Bill would change the pollution charge rates. The new pollution charge rates are set on emitting pollutants into ambient air, water bodies, groundwater, or soil, or during the elimination of dangerous waste or oil shale waste.

Pollution charge rates are set to rise gradually over the period of 2024–2027. The annual increase in charge rates is based on the environmental impact and potential danger caused by the pollutants and the need to reduce their emission into the environment.

The Bill also amends the maximum charge for the right to mine oil shale. A new charge category to be added into the Environmental Charges Act is the felling right charge, intended to limit the reduction of the surface area of woodlands. The Bill also increases the limits for fishing rights charges.

Due to the end of the working hours of the sitting, the first reading of the Bill on Amendments to the Nature Conservation Act and the Land Register Act (301 SE) and the Bill on the Ratification of the Amendments to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (226 SE), initiated by the Government, was deferred.

In addition, the first reading of  the Bill on Amendments to the Weapons Act (19 SE), initiated by the Estonian Conservative People’s Party Group, and 15 Bills on Amendments to the Income Tax Act (75 SE, 88 SE, 110 SE, 112 SE, 116 SE, 127 SE, 130 SE, 133 SE, 150 SE, 151 SE, 155 SE, 181 SE, 194 SE, 199 SE and 253 SE), initiated by Members of the Riigikogu, was deferred due to the end of the working hours.

Also deferred is the first reading of the Draft Resolution of the Riigikogu “Making a proposal to the Government of the Republic to abandon the plan to additionally tax packaging and plastics” (62 OE), Draft Resolution of the Riigikogu “Making a proposal to the Government of the Republic to abandon the plan to eliminate the increased tax allowance for children” (66 OE), Bill on Amendments to the Local Government Organisation Act (63 SE), Bill on Amendments to the Citizenship Act (67 SE), and Bill on Amendments to the Use of Privatisation Proceeds Act (70 SE), all initiated by Isamaa Parliamentary Group.

Verbatim record of the sitting (in Estonian)

Video recording will be available to watch later on the Riigikogu YouTube channel.

Riigikogu Press Service
Maris Meiessaar
+372 631 6353, +372 5558 3993
maris.meiessaar@riigikogu.ee
Questions: press@riigikogu.ee

Link uudisele: Two Bills related to state budget passed the first reading

Source: Parliament of Estonia