Estonia: The Bill concerning the rates of the state fees relating to foreign missions passed the second reading in the Riigikogu

NordenBladet — The Bill that will amend the rates of the state fees for acts performed in foreign missions and will establish new state fees for acts which as yet are not subject to a fee passed the second reading in the Riigikogu today.

With the Bill on Amendments to the State Fees Act, the Identity Documents Act and the Consular Act (78 SE), initiated by the Government, the planned state fees for acts performed in foreign missions are intended to be brought in line with actual costs. The state fee charged for acts performed under Acts in foreign missions will be raised so that it will be higher by 30 euro than the state fee charged for the performance of the same acts in Estonia. The Bill has been drafted in particular to cover the costs related to accepting applications, issuing documents and using the postal service. A state fee for issuing documents in Estonian foreign missions and through honorary consuls will also be established. This service has so far been free of charge.

A Bill was dropped from the proceedings of the Riigikogu:

The Bill on Amendments to the Alcohol Act (83 SE), initiated by members of the Riigikogu Kalle Laanet, Jürgen Ligi, Andrus Seeme, Kristen Michal, Erkki Keldo, Annely Akkermann, Kristina Šmigun-Vähi, Urmas Kruuse, Vilja Toomast, Jüri Jaanson, Aivar Sõerd, Ants Laaneots and Toomas Kivimägi, provided for granting local governments greater rights to regulate the sale of alcohol on their territories.

The Bill would have allowed municipal councils to restrict the retail sale of alcoholic beverages for consumption on the spot on their entire administrative territories or parts thereof for the period from 10 p.m. to 10 a.m., and from 12 midnight to 10 a.m. on the nights preceding days off.

During the debate, Jürgen Ligi from the Reform Party Faction and Tarmo Kruusimäe from the Faction Isamaa took the floor.

The lead committee moved to reject the Bill at the first reading. 43 members of the Riigikogu voted in favour of the motion, 20 were against, and there was one abstention. Thus, the Bill was dropped from the legislative proceedings.

Source: Parliament of Estonia