Reklaam

Helena-Reet Ennet

Helena-Reet Ennet
4698 POSTS 0 COMMENTS

Norway’s revised National Forestry Accounting Plan for 2021-2025 finalised

By
Helena-Reet Ennet
-

NordenBladet — Land use, land use change and forestry are key parts of the agreement between EU, Norway and Iceland on joint fulfilment of our 2030 emission targets. Norway has submitted its revised National Forestry Accounting Plan, including the forest reference level to the EFTA Surveillance Authority.

A National Forestry Accounting Plan is required under the EU regulation on land use, land use change and forestry. Norway published its draft National Forestry Accounting Plan in March 2019, and formally notified the EFTA Surveillance Authority (ESA) on 12 March 2020, the day after the agreement on our joint fulfillment of the 2030 emission targets entered into force. The plan proposed a forest reference level in managed forests for the period 2021-2025. The construction of the forest reference level is based on the continuation of the management practices in Norwegian managed forest land, as observed in the reference period 2000 – 2009.

During spring 2020, Norway and Iceland’s draft National Forestry Accounting Plans were subjects to a revision led by the EFTA Surveillance Authority (ESA). ESA issued a Decision on 26 June 2020 (Decision No: 068/20/COL) with an assessment and technical recommendations to the National Forest Accounting Plans.

Norway has revised its National Forestry Accounting Plan and forest reference level according to the technical recommendations from the EFTA Surveillance Authority. The forest reference level is in average 26,1 mill. ton net removals of CO2 per year in the period 2021-2025, including harvested wood products.

The definitions, methodologies and data used to calculate the forest reference level are consistent with the methods used to estimate emissions and removals in the National greenhouse gas inventory report reported under UNFCCC, including the National Forest Inventory. The reference level is fulfilling the Paris Agreement’s principles of transparency, accuracy, completeness, comparability and consistency.

Background

The agreement on joint fulfilment of our 2030 emissions target means that Norway is part of EU’s climate legislation for 2030. This includes EU’s regulation on land use, land use change and forestry (no. 2018/841). According to regulation, countries shall record changes in removals and emissions from managed forests on the basis of a forward-looking reference level. The reference level is the core element in the national forestry accounting plan and is subject to a final technical assessment by the EFTA Surveillance Authority before it is finally adopted.

 

Source: regjeringen.no

Norway: The Corona situation: More information about quarantine hotels

By
Helena-Reet Ennet
-

NordenBladet — In order to limit import infection, on 5 November 2020 the Government introduced arrangements involving quarantine hotels, effective from 9 November 2020. Further information about who has a duty to stay at the quarantine hotels and how the quarantine hotels will be operated are regulated in a new circular.

The introduction of the arrangements involving quarantine hotels does not lead to any changes about who must be in entry quarantine. Moreover, the quarantine period is still 10 days. Everyone who must be in entry quarantine must stay at a quarantine hotel during the quarantine period. This also applies to Norwegian citizens. However, there are three important exceptions:

-people who reside in or own a home in Norway, and who stay in their home or another suitable place
-people who have come to Norway to perform work or an assignment, and who have an employer or contractor who has arranged suitable accommodation with a private room during the quarantine period
-asylum seekers and resettlement refugees who have separate arrangements

Reside
The term “reside in Norway” means people who are registered in the National Population Register as residing in Norway, or who have reported moving to Norway in this register. When entering Norway, people must be able to document that they reside in Norway, e.g. by referring to information about their registered place of residence for tax purposes.

Own a home
Anyone who owns a home in Norway must be able to document this on entry. The term home covers holiday homes such as cottages, but not caravans and boats. Renting a home is insufficient. If people from the same household are travelling together, e.g. spouses or cohabitants and children, it is sufficient that at least one of the travellers owns a home in Norway.

Work
People must provide documentation that they will perform work or an assignment and that their employer or contractor has arranged suitable accommodation with a private room. This documentation can, for instance, be an employment contract or assignment agreement and a declaration from the employer or contractor about accommodation.

Svalbard
People who reside in Svalbard, and who cannot document a suitable place to stay on the mainland, must stay at a quarantine hotel.

Minors
Minors travelling alone, who are not covered by these exceptions or the exception below relating to children travelling to have contact with their parents, will have the opportunity of having caregivers present at the quarantine hotel.

Quarantine hotel
People staying at a quarantine hotel must pay a set charge of NOK 500 per night for private individuals and NOK 1,500 per night for employers. The remaining expenses will be covered by the municipalities who in turn will be reimbursed by the state.

People staying at a quarantine hotel will have the opportunity to be tested for Covid-19. However, even if the person tests negative for Covid-19 during the quarantine period, the duration of the quarantine period will not be reduced.

Any breaches of quarantine duty observed will be reported to the Police who will consider criminal prosecution.

Groups who are completely exempt from entry quarantine, both during working hours and in their leisure time:

-people who can document that, in the space of the past six months, they have had confirmed case of Covid-19 infection
-people who are coming to Norway to be with children as part of access and contact arrangements between parents and children, or those returning to Norway after fulfilling such access and contact arrangements abroad
-people invited by the Norwegian authorities for important foreign policy reasons

HERE you find information about corona produced by the Norwegian health authorities translated into foreign languages, sorted by language.

Source: regjeringen.no

Norway: Continuation of controls at the internal borders

By
Helena-Reet Ennet
-

NordenBladet — On 16 March, Norway reintroduced controls at the internal borders as a measure to limit the spread of Covid-19. The Government has decided to continue these measures and will, in line with our obligations, notify the EU of this.

Owing to the rising level of infection in Norway and Europe, the Government has decided to continue the controls at the internal borders that were introduced in March. It is important to emphasize that these border controls involve checking whether travellers are permitted to enter Norway, and whether they can present documentation of a negative Covid-19 test taken no later than 72 hours prior to entry and fulfil the requirement of a suitable place to stay during the quarantine period for those covered by this requirement.

The regulations concerning who is permitted to travel to Norway are assessed continually and remain subject to change even though controls at the internal borders are now being extended.

 

Source: regjeringen.no

Estonia: Committees of the Riigikogu discuss foreign investments and impacts of foreign capital at public sitting

By
Helena-Reet Ennet
-

NordenBladet — The Economic Affairs Committee and the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Riigikogu (Parliament of Estonia) will today hold a joint public sitting “The results of the Estonian Research Council RITA study of foreign investments, and the impacts, bottlenecks and opportunities of foreign capital in Estonia”.

According to Chairman of the Economic Affairs Committee Sven Sester, the purpose of the sitting is to get an overview of the impact of foreign capital on Estonia’s economy. “We must make continuous efforts in Estonia to attract foreign investments and to make our country attractive for foreign investors. Today, we will get the latest information from the Estonian Research Council, which will enable us to be better prepared for discussing the bills and laws concerning the Estonian economy,” Sester said.

“Sustainable increasing of foreign investments is one of the priorities of Estonia’s foreign policy and foreign trade in the coming years,” Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee Enn Eesmaa said. “The volume of innovative investments into Estonia is decreasing at the moment. A survey of the role of foreign investments in Estonia’s economy helps recognise the reasons for the decrease, learn about the assessments of foreign investors and create a context for further decisions concerning Estonian economy and investment climate,” he added.

At the sitting, Professor of International Business at the University of Tartu Urmas Varblane will speak about the results of a study on smart foreign investments, Director of the Estonian Investment Agency Raido Lember will give an overview of foreign investments in Estonia, and representatives of foreign investments Katri Jürine from Ericsson Estonia Ltd and Jaanus Aal from Enics Estonia Ltd will share their experience. Deputy Secretary General for Economic Development at the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications Viljar Lubi and Head of the Foresight Centre Tea Danilov will also present their comments.

The representatives of the Estonian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Estonian Employers’ Confederation, the Estonian Service Industry Association and the Foreign Investors’ Council in Estonia are also included in the discussion.

The joint sitting of the Committees begins at 2 p.m., and it will be streamed online.

Source: Parliament of Estonia

 

Estonia: The Riigikogu did not support expressing no confidence in the Minister of Finance Martin Helme

By
Helena-Reet Ennet
-

NordenBladet — The motion of no confidence in the Minister of Finance Martin Helme, signed by 34 members of the Riigikogu, was not supported in the Riigikogu. 46 members of the Riigikogu voted for the motion of no confidence and nobody was against. However, the support of at least 51 members of the Riigikogu was needed to express no confidence.

Marko Mihkelson (Reform Party), who presented the motion of no confidence, noted that Martin Helme in his capacity as a member of the Government had persistently engaged in damaging Estonia’s security and international reputation and allied relations important to Estonia.

The motion of no confidence states that Martin Helme has called into question the reliability of Estonian elections and the independence of Estonian democratic institutions and has deliberately sown mistrust in the fundamental principles of the functioning of the Estonian state as a democracy. Martin Helme has also engaged in splitting the society and has attacked various social groups.

Minister of Finance Martin Helme and Minister of the Interior Mart Helme gravely attacked democratic elections in the United States of America, Estonia’s main security partner and ally, in a statement they made after the US presidential elections. They attacked our major ally’s domestic political right to self-determination and the newly elected president personally. Mart and Martin Helme’s unfounded accusations regarding US election fraud and their personal attacks towards the US president-elect Joseph R. Biden are unfounded, immoral and completely inappropriate for a member of Government. With such a statement, Mart and Martin Helme have caused extraordinarily severe damage to Estonia’s foreign and security policy interests.

The protection of human rights, the principles of the rule of law and the minorities are in the heart of Estonian foreign policy. By attacking Estonia’s foreign policy course and, besides that, the general principles of liberal democracy and by calling on to decide on the rights of minorities through a referendum, Martin Helme seriously jeopardises the reliability of the Republic of Estonia as a democratic state based on the rule of law in the eyes of the European Union and NATO allies. His activities place our country from the West to the East, and in the case of such an allegiance, we have no reason to expect allies’ support.

Martin Helme has also been continuously attacking the separation of powers, independent investigation, the administration of justice and the press.

“It is clear, having regard to all of the above, that Martin Helme is unsuitable for his office and therefore we propose that the Riigikogu express no confidence in the Minister of Finance,” the motion of no confidence states.

The members of the Riigikogu asked numerous questions of Minister of Finance Martin Helme, requesting for clarifications on the reproaches expressed in the motion of no confidence.

During the debate, Kaja Kallas (Reform Party), Viktor Vassiljev (Centre Party), Siim Pohlak (Estonian Conservative People’s Party) and Indrek Saar (Social Democratic Party) took the floor on behalf of their factions.

The Bill on amendments to this year’s state budget passed the second reading in the Riigikogu.

The Bill on Amendments to the State Budget for 2020 Act (252 SE), initiated by the Government, passed the second reading and was sent to the third reading.

Considering that the State Budget for 2020 Act was prepared in the autumn of the preceding year and some of the funding needs have changed, it is expedient to initiate an amendment of the state budget to achieve more effectively the aims set by state agencies. The Bill (252 SE) covers 85 amendments in total.

According to § 43 of the State Budget Act, in order to amend the state budget without amending the total amount of funds, the Government of the Republic may initiate a draft State Budget Amendment Act not later than two months before the end of the budgetary year.

During the debate, Aivar Sõerd (Reform Party) took the floor.

The Riigikogu heard replies to two interpellations

Prime Minister Jüri Ratas replied to the interpellation concerning the tourism sector support measures (No. 43), submitted by members of the Riigikogu, and Minister of Education and Research Mailis Reps replied to the interpellation concerning the transition to instruction in Estonian (No. 42).

During the open microphone, Peeter Ernits took the floor.

The sitting ended at 8.06 p.m.

 

Source: Parliament of Estonia

 

Estonia: Tallinn earmarks €86 million for public transport costs, development

By
Helena-Reet Ennet
-

NordenBladet – Tallinn will set aside €86 million for the running and development costs of public transport in 2021 which include the purchase of 100 new gas powered buses. By the end of next year, half of the city’s public transport will be carbon dioxide free.

The budget of Tallinn for 2021 sets aside €86 million towards operating costs of the public transport system and €3.7 million euros towards investments in public transport.

Deputy Mayor Andrei Novikov said on Tuesday that in addition to the 100 gas powered buses that were received this year, 100 more buses running on green gas will join the fleet of the city’s public transport company next year. The cost of the buses inclusive of IT equipment is nearly €30 million, and by the end of next year 50 percent of the city’s public transport will be carbon dioxide free.

In addition, some 10 electric buses will start operating the city’s bus lines as part of a pilot project with manufacturers of electric buses, Novikov said.

Frequencies will be added on more than 10 bus lines next year.

Furthermore, the city will continue to equip bus stops with displays showing real-time information about departures, as well as with shelters. The city is planning to replace shelters made of metal sheets and install new shelters at stops which do not have shelters at present.

The city is also planning to set up new traffic lights to improve traffic safety and to transition to LED traffic lights. Money has been earmarked in the budget also for the installation of 157 traffic counters at road intersections.

Parking lots of the Park and Ride system will be equipped with displays and a feature added to the system enabling to see the number of available parking spaces on one’s smartphone.

State-of-the art infrastructure consisting of parking spaces and gas refueling facilities will be completed at the bus depots of the city’s public transport company on Peterburi Road and Kadaka Avenue. In addition, a new terminal station for buses will be completed on Vana-Louna Street.

The investments in public transport will include an expansion of the school bus project and acquisition of new trams.

Finland: Working group to explore ways to improve information security and data protection in critical sectors of society

By
Helena-Reet Ennet
-

NordenBladet — On 9 November 2020, the Ministry of Transport and Communications appointed a working group to identify needs to amend the legislation on information security and data protection in sectors of key importance for the functioning of society and to submit a proposal to the Government for policy guidelines on them. The aim is to further increase the level of information security in Finnish society and to ensure that the citizens’ data is better protected than presently.

The study will focus on key sectors of society, such as health care, financial markets, energy supply, water supply and transport services. Further areas included in the study are Finland’s digital infrastructure as well as information systems essential for the functioning of public administration.The assessment should be as concrete as possible and focus, in particular, on the powers and supervision of the authorities. The working group is also expected to provide as accurate an assessment as possible of the operator-specific or information system-specific resources currently allocated to information security tasks as well as the expertise of the personnel on the matters. The task of the working group is to analyse the effects and calculate the costs of the proposed measures and the additional resources needed.One reason for setting up the working group is a recent data breach against a service providing psychotherapy services. It showed that there are critical information systems in Finland in which information security and data protection have not been adequately ensured.

The group will be chaired by Laura Vilkkonen, Director-General at the Ministry of Transport and Communications.In addition to representatives of the Ministry of Transport and Communications, the working group has members from the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, Ministry of Justice, Ministry of the Interior, Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment, Ministry for Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Finance. The group members also include the Cyber Security Director as well as representatives from the Cyber Security Centre of the Transport and Communications Agency, the Emergency Supply Centre, the National Police Board and the Office of the Data Protection Ombudsman are also presented in the group. The working group will also consult other authorities.

The term of the working group ends on 31 January 2021.It is to publish an interim report in December 2020.In order for the possible implementation of the group’s policy and action proposals to take place, the resource implications have to be taken into account in the government session on spending limits in spring 2021.

Source: Valtioneuvosto.fi

Estonia: The prime minister delivered the letter of resignation of Mart Helme to the president

By
Helena-Reet Ennet
-

NordenBladet — Today, Prime Minister Jüri Ratas received a letter of resignation from Minister of the Interior Mart Helme and delivered it to President Kersti Kaljulaid.

Ratas recognised Helme’s decision to resign. “The United States is our biggest ally and strategic partner and all members of the Estonian government must contribute to maintaining and strengthening the allied relations between Estonia and the US. In the current situation, the resignation of Mart Helme is the only possible option for the government to continue its work and pursuing its foreign policy goals,” said Ratas.

On the proposal of the prime minister, President Kaljulaid will release Mart Helme from office and, following the announcement of a new candidate, appoint a new minister.

 

Source: Estonian Government

 

Hallmarking of articles of precious metals will end in Finland – Tukes is collecting information on the impact

By
Helena-Reet Ennet
-

NordenBladet — Eurofins Labtium Oy has announced that it will discontinue the hallmarking of articles of precious metals on 31 January 2021. As a consequence of this decision, there will no longer be an operator in Finland that can inspect articles of precious metals and mark them with the Finnish hallmark and the international CCM mark.

In its announcement, Eurofins Labtium Oy explains that as a part of its development to focus on its core business, the company will end its assay office operations. In practice, the decision means that the company will not continue examining jewellery and other articles made of precious metals and marking them with the Finnish hallmark.With its decision issued on 2 November 2020, the Finnish Safety and Chemicals Agency (Tukes) withdraws the assay office approval granted to Eurofins Labtium Oy in accordance with the Act on Articles of Precious Metals (1029/2000). Tukes also withdraws its decision on the approval of the assay office’s hallmarks. The decision by Tukes on the withdrawal of the assay office approval and the approval of the use of hallmarks will take effect on 1 February 2021.

The Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment is responsible for the overall management and control of the enforcement of the regulations governing articles of precious metals and the appointment of assay offices.Tukes is collecting comments on the impact of the decisionTukes is collecting information from companies and other operators in the jewellery industry on how the end of hallmarking will affect their operations.

Source: Valtioneuvosto.fi

Finland: Hiilestä kiinni – Catch the carbon research and innovation programme to produce climate-sustainable land use solutions, extensive call for applications now open

By
Helena-Reet Ennet
-

NordenBladet — The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry has opened an extensive call for applications for research and development funding aimed to produce information on how the climate-sustainability of agriculture, forestry and other land uses can be strengthened. The total amount of funds available is about EUR 9 million. The three-year research and innovation programme Hiilestä kiinni – Catch the carbon is one of the key elements of the package of climate measures under the Government Programme.

Extensive cooperation between the scientific community, business operators and other stakeholders in our society is needed to achieve the climate objectives of the land use sector. The webinar on 9 November where the programme was published and the networking event held in the same contexts attracted more than 200 researchers and other stakeholder representatives interested in the topic.The application for funding related to the programme will be open until 21 December 2020. The aim is also to open a supplementary call for applications already in 2021.

The project applications will be evaluated in January 2021 by an evaluation panel invited for this purpose. The earliest date when the research and innovation projects can be started is 1 March 2021 and the Ministry’s funding for the projects included in this process will end no later than 31 December 2023.Programme prepared together with scientific community and stakeholdersBesides reductions in fossil emissions, achieving the target of a carbon-neutral Finland by 2035 requires cuts in the emissions from agriculture, forestry and other land uses and maintenance and strengthening of carbon sinks and reservoirs. The net impact set as the target to 2035 for the additional measures included in the package of climate measures in the land use sector is at least 3 Mt CO2 equivalent.- “Land use is the sector where solutions to the fight against climate change and to mitigating its impacts can be found. Reaching the target requires broad-based cooperation between scientists and practical operators. Based on the findings of scientific research we can introduce functioning and effective measures to strengthen carbon sequestration, reduce emissions and replace fossil fuels,” says Minister of Agriculture and Forestry Jari Leppä.

The aim of the Hiilestä kiinni – Catch the carbon research and innovation programme is to produce information that anticipates changes in the operating environment on how agriculture, forestry and other land use can be targeted in a more climate-smart manner, both in the short and long term. The aim is also to strengthen the sustainable use of renewable natural resources and comprehensive sustainability.  The programme was prepared in cooperation with the scientific community and stakeholders.- “We should have the means to anticipate changes even better than before to be able to target land use solutions in the right way. The assessment of comprehensive sustainability and various kinds of impacts requires research and results that can be applied to different land use operations from the national to the local level,” says Jaana Husu-Kallio, Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry.New information on impact chainsFulfilling the objectives of the Hiilestä kiinni – Catch the carbon programme requires an interdisciplinary approach and cooperation between differently stakeholders, which is why applications from consortiums composed of two or several organisations will be much appreciated. In projects carried out by consortiums funding is granted to the main applicant that will then manage the contacts and financial transactions with the other organisations and the Ministry. The consortiums may also include private companies. In their applications the research consortiums should state clearly the causal chains in their project proposals that promote the achievement of the climate neutrality target to 2035.The new programme will significantly strengthen the research related to agriculture, forestry and other land use and provide excellent opportunities to researchers from different fields of science to deepen and diversify the knowledge and competence. The programme will also link earlier research results and current and future international and national research on these topics more strongly to support decision-making.- “Besides natural sciences, research is needed on people’s behaviour and attitudes to achieve true changes in the way we act. Agriculture and forestry will not become climate-smart without climate-smart farmers and forest owners,” says Johanna Kohl, Research Programme Manager at the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry who was responsible for preparing the programme.

According to Kohl, it is also important to promote innovation as part of research projects. Innovations may concern e.g. processes, technical solutions or new services. Under the projects, funding may also be granted to open and user-driven Living Lab activities carried out in practical operating environments.Hiilestä kiinni – Catch the carbon research and innovation programme 2021-2024, call for applications (in Finnish)New research and innovation programme creates solutions to climate-wise land use (press release of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry 6 October 2020)Read more about climate measures in the land use sectorRead the blog post by Research Programme Manager Johanna Kohl and Senior Specialist Anna Salminen: Tutkimus tuuppaa kohti ilmastokestävää maa- ja metsätaloutta (Research takes us towards climate-sustainable agriculture and forestry) (11 September 2020, in Finnish)

Source: Valtioneuvosto.fi

1...336337338...470Page 337 of 470