NordenBladet —On behalf of the European Union Affairs Committee of the Riigikogu (Parliament of Estonia), Chair of the Committee Anneli Ott sent an appeal to President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen, recommending the European Commission to assume leading role in organising the returning to homeland of the citizens of member states and the transport of vital goods, so that each member state would not have to seek for solutions by themselves, but the crisis would be resolved in cooperation.
Anneli Ott said that the current practice in resolving the crisis resulting from the spread of COVID-19 differed by member states, and this had brought along the situation where the citizens of the European Union had become trapped on the internal borders of the Union. “We recognise that the member states have the right to take appropriate measures to protect the health of their citizens, but we underline that this has to be done accordance with the Free Movement Directive,” Ott pointed out.
Therefore, Ott sent an appeal on behalf of the European Union Affairs Committee to President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen on Friday. The appeal calls on the European Commission to take the leading role in coordination of the resolution of the crisis. “First of all, the challenge of the free movement of the citizens of the European Union should be resolved. Transit corridors for the movement of the citizens of member states across closed borders to their homeland should be created,” Ott emphasised. Besides that, free movement of goods between member states should be ensured, and adequate supply of medicines and medical equipment for fighting the pandemic should be organised jointly.
Deputy Chair of the European Union Affairs Committee Riina Sikkut added that approving of the guidelines on border management submitted by the European Council on Tuesday had given a strong signal that the member states felt the need and the desire to cooperate.
NordenBladet —Today, the Constitutional Committee of the Riigikogu (Parliament of Estonia) discussed holding the sittings of the committees of the Riigikogu in the form of teleworking during the emergency situation. The Committee decided by consensus that the Riigikogu Rules of Procedure and Internal Rules Act allowed the committees of the Riigikogu to telework.
“We reached a consensus that the current legislation may be interpreted so that teleworking is allowed if all relevant conditions for participating in the sitting, like making remarks, asking questions and voting, are ensured,” Chairman of the Constitutional Committee Paul Puustusmaa said.
“Considering the emergency situation, it is important that the work of the committees is not interrupted and can continue in the form of teleworking,” substitute member of the Committee Kaja Kallas expressed the joint position of the Committee. “There is no hurry to change the rules of procedure, but we think that when the emergency situation is over, we should analyse the rules of procedure and make the necessary amendments to achieve better legal clarity.”
Puustusmaa added that the Constitutional Committee would send a letter to the factions of the Riigikogu, asking them to evaluate whether it was necessary to amend the Riigikogu Rules of Procedure and Internal Rules Act in the interests of clarity. “We have to review the issue of attending and participation,” Puustusmaa said. “For legal clarity, we have to define the situations where electronic participation in committee sittings can be implemented.”
NordenBladet — Today, the Council of Elders of the Riigikogu (Parliament of Estonia) decided to reorganise the work of the Riigikogu in connection with the emergency situation declared by the Government to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.
At the meeting with the representatives of the factions, the Board of the Riigikogu decided that, until 1 May this year, the Riigikogu would resolve only time-critical issues.
The Council of Elders proposes to the Riigikogu to change the working schedule of plenary sittings of the Riigikogu at each Monday’s sitting so that, until the end of the emergency situation, plenary sittings will be held only on Mondays, and Question Time on Wednesdays. The public and the media can watch live coverage of the sittings on the web.
The Committees of the Riigikogu will meet on Mondays, and more often only in the case of unavoidable necessity. Guests are invited to the committee sittings if necessary, and it is advisable that the guests participate in sittings via a video bridge.
All official travels of the members of the Riigikogu have been cancelled, and the Board of the Riigikogu decides if a travel is unavoidably necessary. Members of the Riigikogu are strongly advised not to travel abroad, and in the case of domestic meetings, to avoid holding meetings in Toompea Castle.
The entry to Toompea Castle complex will be temporarily restricted for the people whose visits are not directly connected with the work of the Riigikogu. Visiting of Toompea Castle for guided tours, for the art exhibitions and for watching the sittings will be prohibited.
We ask all members of the press to kindly make use of the possibilities of teleworking when covering the work of the Riigikogu, and to ask comments from the members of the Riigikogu via telephone. For photos and video materials, please turn to the Public Relations Department of the Chancellery of the Riigikogu.
The Council of Elders of the Riigikogu has also instructed the Constitutional Committee of the Riigikogu to prepare a regulation that would enable to hold committee sittings via electronic means of communication during emergency situations.
All restrictions will be temporary. We will follow the development of the situation and inform you about our new decisions.
The Council of Elders of the Riigikogu will meet regularly to evaluate the situation and to discuss further activities, presumably on Wednesdays at 9.
NordenBladet —At today’s plenary sitting, Prime Minister Jüri Ratas made a political statement before the Riigikogu on the situation due to the spread of coronavirus.
“Taking into account the global epidemiological situation and the spread of coronavirus in Europe, the increasing threats to the Estonian economy, the difficulties of the supply chains in the business sector, the domestic and foreign policy challenges and the need for a more efficient management structure for various state authorities, in my opinion, it can be clearly said that we have reached an emergency. However, we will overcome it as a society and with everyone’s contribution,” Prime Minister Jüri Ratas said.
The Prime Minister said that the Government had decided to take the following additional measures:
– to postpone the reception of cruise ships until 1 May;
– in the organisation of official missions of state authority employees, local governments, as well as the private and non-profit sector, the recommendations of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs are to be considered;
– to recommend to postpone public events with more than 100 participants;
– to obligate the Health Board to coordinate the authorisation of public events with more than 100 participants, and to task it with the assessment of the conformity of the authorizations already issued;
– to postpone all planned tours in state authorities from today;
– to open a coronavirus crisis hotline number 1247 from 16 March at the latest.
The Prime Minister said that the Government had also formed a committee that would manage the addressing of the situation related to COVID-19, and the search for solutions to the resulting public health and economic problems.
The head of Government said that, at the same time, it was definitely very important to make sure that a balance was maintained between the freedoms of people, the overall functioning of society, and the steps needed to contain the virus. “There is a risk that the health crisis will evolve into a wider crisis affecting our economy, our welfare, and people’s jobs. The European Union Member States and institutions are engaged in close cooperation and information exchange to address these issues,” the head of Government confirmed.
The Prime Minister appealed to everyone to take care of their own and their close ones’ health and to pay attention to their behaviour regarding the people around them, particularly the elderly people belonging to risk groups and other fellow people with poorer health.
“If we all act together and everyone makes efforts, with calm thinking and common sense, respectful of one other and contributing as a society, we will overcome the current difficult situation,” Ratas said.
As at today, 464 COVID-19 tests have been carried out in Estonia, and there are 17 known cases of the virus at the moment.
The Prime Minister also answered questions from members of the Riigikogu. During the debate, representatives of the factions took the floor and discussed the current situation. Kaja Kallas spoke on behalf of the Reform Party Faction, Kersti Sarapuu on behalf of the Centre Party Faction, and Siim Pohlak on behalf of the Estonian Conservative People’s Party Faction. Priit Sibul spoke on behalf of the Faction Isamaa and Indrek Saar on behalf of the Social Democratic Faction.
A Bill passed the second reading in the Riigikogu:
The Bill on Amendments to the Liquid Fuel Act (126 SE), initiated by the Government. As of 2020, the obligation to add biocomponents to fossil fuels will be made more flexible, and the transparency and efficiency of the trade in the statistics on the biocomponent and renewable electricity will be increased.
From 2020, the obligation to add biofuel to every litre will be replaced with a semester-based obligation which can also be met by contributing biomethane or electricity into final consumption in the transport sector. According to the Bill, the supplier will decide how to most efficiently meet the biofuel obligation over the semester. As another amendment, an electronic database for trade in statistics will be implemented. It will provide a transparent opportunity for suppliers to sell to suppliers who need statistics the statistics in excess of the minimum share of the obligation to add biofuel.
The Bill aims to support the domestic production of biomethane and the use of electricity in the transport sector. The Bill is intended to reduce the demand in Estonia for first generation biofuel produced from food crops, and to reduce the price pressure on the final price of fuel relating to the addition of biocomponents.
Amendments were also made to the Bill, and trams and trolleybuses, which use electricity and are part of road transport, were included. A year-based calculation will be implemented instead of the semester-based calculation, and the sanction in the amount of 5 million euro, provided for the failure to comply with the semester-based obligation, was replaced with a year-based sanction in the amount of 10 million euro.
The trade in the statistics on renewable energy was also made more flexible.
The requirements in the regulation of the Liquid Fuel Act (including the obligation to add biocomponents) will no longer be applied to the petrol used in lawn mowers and chain saws.
If the Act is passed, it will enter into force on 1 April.
NordenBladet —At today’s sitting, the Riigikogu passed an Act that simplifies the transfer of shares of private limited companies and eliminates unnecessary restrictions and formal requirements.
Under the Act on Amendments to the Commercial Code (transfer of share) (148 SE, consolidated Bills 101 SE and 117 SE), initiated by the Legal Affairs Committee and the Government, the minimum value of a share is set at one cent instead of the current one euro. The formal requirement for a transaction constituting an obligation to transfer or pledge a share that currently applies to all private limited companies is repealed. A private limited company with a share capital meeting the minimum requirement is allowed to provide in its articles of association with the consent of all partners that a disposition for the transfer or pledge of a share can be carried out under a simplified procedure, that is, in a format which can be reproduced in writing.
The minimum value of a share is set at one cent instead of the current one euro, which will allow the amounts of the shares of private limited companies to be determined more flexibly. Under the current law, a transaction constituting an obligation to transfer or pledge a share, as well as a disposition, must be notarised (except in the case when the shares of the private limited company have been entered in the Estonian register of securities).
Toomas Kivimägi (Reform Party) who took the floor in the debate noted that the Act created competitive conditions for engaging additional capital. He said that would avoid undertakings moving to neighbouring countries where so far more lenient requirements regarding the engagement of capital had been in place compared to Estonia, and thus would avoid causing damage to the Estonian economy and enterprise.
68 members of the Riigikogu voted for the passing of the Act.
The Bill on Amendments to the Bank of Estonia (Eesti Pank) Act (97 SE), initiated by the Finance Committee, passed the second reading. It will specify the bases for the formation of the membership of the Supervisory Board of the Bank of Estonia, and the requirements for members of the supervisory board, and the term of their mandate.
According to the Bill, the Supervisory Board includes representatives of the factions of the Riigikogu, and four experts in the field nominated by the Chairman of the Supervisory Board. It will be specified that the members of the Supervisory Board of the Bank of Estonia will have to have sufficient knowledge and experience to participate in the work of the board, and no member of the Supervisory Board may be appointed for more than two consecutive terms. The amendment will ensure legal clarity in the appointment of members of the Supervisory Board of the Bank of Estonia and will preclude a situation where the appointment of a new membership of the Supervisory Board may be delayed in the future.
The second reading of the Bill was suspended at the sitting of the Riigikogu on 17 December, and after that the European Central Bank was asked to provide its opinion on the Bill in order for the proceedings to be continued. During the second reading, the Finance Committee submitted two motions to amend the Bill which aimed to ensure sufficient clarity of the definitions used and the proceedings provided for in the Bill. The motions will specify how the factions of the Riigikogu will nominate their candidates to the Supervisory Board of the Bank of Estonia and how the representatives of the factions will be appointed. They will also specify the procedure for the appointment of alternate members and the duration and functioning of their mandate in cases where a judgment of conviction in a criminal case enters into force with regard to a member of the Supervisory Board of the Estonian Bank or prohibition on business is imposed on him or her.
The Bill on Amendments to the Estonian Public Broadcasting Act (122 SE), initiated by the Estonian Reform Party Faction, passed the first reading. It will extend the target group and the range of persons with hearing disabilities to whom the Estonian Public Broadcasting must ensure the availability of the original programmes offered by the television programme services as far as possible.
With the Bill, the word “vaegkuuljatele” (“persons with hearing disabilities”) will be replaced with the words “kuulmispuudega inimestele” (“persons with hearing disabilities”) in the third sentence of clause 5 (1) 1) of the Estonian Public Broadcasting Act. The essential meaning of this sentence is that the original programmes of the Estonian Public Broadcasting must be made available to the maximum extent to people with hearing disabilities as far as possible. Original programmes also include, among other things, public communications, speeches and welcoming addresses by heads of state that are intended for the whole society and are broadcast on national television which currently do not always come with translation into sign language.
Jüri Jaanson (Reform Party) who presented the Bill pointed out the different communication needs of people with different extents of hearing loss. He said that people who were hard of hearing needed subtitles, and deaf people needed their native sign language, to understand speech. Jaanson emphasised that it was important to take into account the needs of deaf people who used sign language and to involve them in the Estonian information space and society.
Member of the Cultural Affairs Committee Marko Šorin (Centre Party) presented the opinions on the Bill that had been submitted to the committee, and gave an overview of the discussions that had been held at the committee sittings. Šorin pointed out that the committee supported the concluding of the first reading of the Bill.
During the debate, Helmen Kütt (Social Democratic Party) and Jüri Jaanson (Reform Party) took the floor on behalf of the factions.
NordenBladet —Members of the Riigikogu Ivari Padar, Katri Raik, Helmen Kütt, Riina Sikkut, Indrek Saar, Jevgeni Ossinovski, Kalvi Kõva, Jaak Juske, Lauri Läänemets and Raimond Kaljulaid submitted an interpellation concerning the establishment of the rail link Rail Baltic (No. 23) to Prime Minister Jüri Ratas.
The interpellators referred to a recent audit by the National Audit Office focusing on the construction of Rail Baltic which was critical of the central activities as well as the developments in Estonia. The interpellators wished to know, among other things, what the Prime Minister’s assessment of the current progress of the Rail Baltic project was and how he assessed the current activities of Latvia and Lithuania in the realisation of the Rail Baltic project.
Prime Minister Ratas noted that the Rail Baltic project had moved from the planning phase to the design stage in all three Baltic states by now, and construction works had started or were about to start on the territories of all three countries. According to him, contracts for the preparation of the basic design documentation for the railway and related infrastructure in all three sections of the main route have been entered into in Estonia by now. The designing of the major local sites has also begun. “Rail Baltic will pass through a total of 864 cadastral units in Estonia. 621 of them are cadastral units belonging to private owners and 74 are cadastral units belonging to local governments which will have to be acquired to the state for the construction of Rail Baltic. About 40 plots of land had been acquired by February this year,” Ratas said.
The Prime Minister admitted that, in a democratic society, the planning of large-scale infrastructure projects and sites took time, and often it was impossible to stick to the projected timeline. “For example, the planning phase of Rail Baltic lasted from 2012 to 2018, although the deadline for planning was as early as the end of 2015 according to more optimistic projections. As you can see here too, there is a difference of about three years,” he stated. Ratas confirmed that such risks had been taken into account when planning the project and that it was still possible to complete Rail Baltic by the deadline.
As to the activities of Latvia and Lithuania, the Prime Minister said that Rail Baltic was in a similar phase in those countries as it was in Estonia. “Spatial plans were established in Latvia as early as 2016 and in Lithuania in 2017. The sections between Kaunas and the Lithuanian-Polish border and between Kaunas and Vilnius need separate decisions. Preparation of the designated spatial plans has been started. Design work is underway on a 270-kilometre route to the extent of about 75%. Lithuania has made the most progress with construction works in Kaunas region. A contract for the construction of Riga airport terminal and railway will be concluded by the end of 2020. More important is the goal reiterated by the Prime Ministers of all three Baltic states in Tallinn in February: to complete the construction of Rail Baltic rail link by the deadline,” Ratas said.
The Prime Minister stated that the management scheme of the construction process was not functioning as well as it should have been, and that it needed to be changed. “There are those who design, there are those who carry out construction procurements, and there are those who construct. It is necessary to bring matters under one roof here, so to say. And I think that, in a sense, this will also yield a better result in terms of time and pace.”
The Minister of Education and Research Mailis Reps replied to the interpellations concerning the Institute of the Estonian Language (No 22) and concerning countering the import of the ideology, that is, the influencing activities of the Russian Federation in Estonia (No 26).
During the debate, Katri Raik (Social Democratic Party) and Johannes Kert (Reform Party) took the floor.
During the open microphone, Peeter Ernits (Estonian Conservative People’s Party) and Kalle Grünthal (Estonian Conservative People’s Party) took the floor.
NordenBladet —At the joint visit of the parliamentary delegations of Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland to the United States House of Representatives, Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi expressed cross-party support to the Baltic States and Poland.
During the first joint visit of the parliamentary delegations of Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland to the United States Congress, the main focus was on the issues relating to the security of the region, dealing with the provocative behaviour of Russia and the practical implementation of the Three Seas Initiative.
At the meetings with Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi and the leaders of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, representatives of the Parliament of Estonia the Riigikogu Keit Pentus-Rosimannus and Andres Sutt focused on future cooperation in the sphere of cyber security and resisting influence operations.
“Continuation of the US defence assistance was the central topic at all meetings. The continuing support of both the Democrats and the Republicans is important,” member of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Riigikogu Keit Pentus-Rosimannus said. “The influential members of the House of Representatives and the Senate who participated in the meetings had a strong interest in Estonia’s experience in cyber security and increasing the awareness of cyber threats. We would certainly like to further develop our relations in that field.”
At the meetings in the Congress, Pentus-Rosimannus and Sutt also introduced the Three Seas Initiative and its summit that will be held in Tallinn. Chair of the Estonia-USA Parliamentary Group Andres Sutt remarked, “The Three Seas Initiative is important for better connections between the countries of North and South Europe, and for providing an alternative to the politically targeted investments of Russia and China. We are very happy that the USA has decided to contribute a billion dollars to the Three Seas Initiative Investment Fund.”
In the opinion of Pentus-Rosimannus, the timing of the Estonian, Latvian, Lithuanian and Polish visit is essential, because at present, the next year’s defence budget is being discussed in the Congress. “Such meetings provide an excellent opportunity for an open and direct exchange of opinions on the international threat picture and discussion of practical developments of cooperation.”
Besides meeting with Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi, the members of the Riigikogu in Washington also had meetings with leaders of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee James Risch and Bob Menendez, Chair of Europe, Eurasia, Energy, and the Environment Subcommittee of the House of Representatives Bill Keating, Chair of the House of Representatives Intelligence Committee Adam Schiff and Member of the House of Representatives Energy and Commerce Committee John Shimkus.
NordenBladet —Today, President of the Riigikogu (Parliament of Estonia) Henn Põlluaas is on a visit to Finland, where he will meet with his colleague, Speaker of the Parliament of Finland the Eduskunta Matti Vanhanen, and Prime Minister of Finland Sanna Marin, Minister of Foreign Affairs Pekka Haavisto and Chairman of the Defence Committee of the Eduskunta Ilkka Kanerva.
The President of the Riigikogu is accompanied by representatives of the factions of the Riigikogu and members of the Estonia-Finland Parliamentary Group Anneli Ott, Aivar Kokk, Helmen Kütt and Urve Tiidus.
“The mutual cooperation between Estonia and Finland is so closely intertwined at different levels and so friendly that it is impossible to underestimate it,” Põlluaas said. “It is in a way symbolic that the business registers of Estonia and Finland started the exchange of data via X-Road namely on Friend’s Day (which is how St. Valentine’s Day is called in our countries). It is the first greater result of cooperation with the aim of integrating the digital services of Estonia and Finland.”
Põlluaas added that the Estonian pharmacies had been dispensing medicines on the basis of Finnish digital prescriptions for more than a year, and now that project should be completed, so that it would work both ways. After that, the exchange of social and health insurance data and tax data wait to be launched.
“The relations between the two countries are active and our cooperation is excellent both at the regional level and in international organisations,” Põlluaas underlined. He pointed out the ensuring of security and stability in the Baltic Sea. “However, this does not mean that we do not have room for development. Next we could consider greater cooperation between Estonia and Finland in renewable energy issues,” Põlluaas said before the visit.
The Riigikogu delegation will also meet with the representatives of the Global School of the Association of Education in Estonian at the Estonian Centre in Helsinki, visit Helsinki Central Library Oodi and lay a wreath at the memorial to the fallen Finnish volunteers of the Estonian War of Independence in the Old Church Park.
NordenBladet —The Riigikogu suspended the second reading of the Bills on amendments to the Tobacco Act and the Land Reform Act and to the Acts related thereto in order that amendments could be incorporated.
The Bill on Amendments to the Tobacco Act and the Alcohol, Tobacco, Fuel and Electricity Excise Duty Act (9 SE), initiated by the Government, will transpose two articles of the EU Tobacco Directive, on the basis of which a European-wide tracking and tracing system for tobacco products will be implemented to curb the black market in tobacco.
According to the directive and the implementing acts, all over the European Union, unit packets of tobacco products will be labelled with a unique identifier, and a tamper-proof security feature will be installed on them. In Estonia, tax stamp will be introduced as the security feature. It complies with the requirements of EU legislation. If no tax stamp is installed on a product, the security feature of the manufacturer will have to be installed on the product.
According to the Bill, it will be permitted to add menthol flavour in electronic cigarettes. The general prohibition on the sale of smokeless tobacco products will also be repealed in Estonia, and handling of novel smokeless tobacco products will be included. Prohibitions on tobacco for oral use, chewing tobacco, nasal tobacco and other smokeless tobacco products remain in force. In addition, the Tobacco Act will be amended by adding a new category of tobacco products – heated tobacco products.
During the debate, Tarmo Kruusimäe (Isamaa), Aivar Kokk (Isamaa) and Vilja Toomast (Reform Party) took the floor.
The Bill on Amendments to the Land Reform Act, the Act on Acquisition of Land on which Usufruct Has Been Established during Land Reform, and the State Assets Act (87 SE), initiated by the Rural Affairs Committee.
The Bill will enable natural persons for whose benefit a usufruct on land has been established to grant use of the land to other persons provided that agricultural production is continued on the land. An additional condition will be set to the effect that the usufructuary will be entitled to grant use of land to a company if more than half of the company is owned by them or their spouse or relative. It is important that the person in whose use the land is meet the above-mentioned conditions during the whole duration of the use of the land.
The Bill will also regulate the extension of usufruct contracts. Under the current law, extension of usufruct is performed under the Land Reform Act which is however not in accordance with the general principles for the administration of state assets and the principles of EU competition law. There is a conflict with state aid rules and the principle of equal treatment of persons. Usufruct contracts should be extended on the basis of the State Assets Act.
According to the Bill, in order to extend a usufruct for up to 15 more years, the usufructuary will have to submit a written application to the Land Board not later than three months before extinguishment of the usufruct. In the case when a usufruct extinguishes before 31 August this year, the usufructuary will still have the right to submit an application to extend the contract for the establishment of usufruct on the current basis, that is, within three months after the due date for extinguishment of the usufruct. The contract will not be extended if the land on which the usufruct has been established is required for the exercise of the powers of state, to a local government for the performance of its functions or for other public purposes.
For the uniform application of the conditions for the use of state assets, a market-based use fee will be set as the fee for an extended usufruct. The minimum rate for the use fee will be set at ten euro. The usufructuary will also be obligated to pay land tax and other ancillary costs, taxes and encumbrances relating to the immovable property. In addition, the Bill will specify the conditions for carrying out cutting on land on which an extended usufruct has been established, and the set-off for costs incurred for improvements beyond ordinary maintenance.
The Bill provides that, after a usufruct has been extended, the usufructuary will have the right to apply for acquisition of the land under the Act on Acquisition of Land Subject to Usufruct in Land Reform. In addition, the possibility of redemption will not be restricted during two years after the extension of usufruct.
NordenBladet —At today’s sitting, the Riigikogu ratified the Convention that establishes uniform international rules for the removal of hazardous wrecks and payment of compensation for the costs therein involved.
Under the Act on the Ratification of the Nairobi International Convention on the Removal of Wrecks, 2007 (123 SE), initiated by the Government, owners of ships of 300 gross tonnage and above are subject to the requirement of compulsory insurance to ensure the costs of removing hazardous wrecks. The Convention does not apply retroactively. Estonia wishes to apply the Convention in all its maritime areas and not just in its economic zone.
The explanatory memorandum notes that the Convention will have an impact on business and the business environment. It will increase the sense of security for businesses that Estonia as a maritime nation applies uniform standards. Owners of ships registered in Estonia, and ships flying the Estonian flag under a charter party, as well as owners of ships flying the flags of other countries that visit the Estonian maritime area are the target group of the Act. Ship owners have an obligation to insure their ships to cover the damages relating to the wreckage of the ships to the extent of the liability insurance established by the Convention, depending on the tonnage of the ship.
The ratification of the Convention will have a positive impact on environmental protection and human health because it will allow to respond more efficiently in the event of a maritime casualty and to prevent the spread of potential pollution.
By now, 40 countries have ratified the Convention or acceded to it, and 13 of them are European Union countries. Estonia signed the Convention on 28 March 2008. The Convention enters into force for Estonia three months following the date of deposit of the instrument of ratification with the Secretary-General of the International Maritime Organization (IMO).
It will be necessary to amend the Maritime Safety Act in order to comply with the Convention. A Bill on amendments to the Maritime Safety Act is undergoing approval. According to the amendments, the Maritime Administration will issue certificates under the Convention, which will bring about a certain increase in its workload.
According the explanatory memorandum, the number of abandoned wrecks is estimated at almost thirteen hundred worldwide and they may pose a hazard to navigation as well as the environment. The Convention is intended to avoid potential hazards in the future.
85 members of the Riigikogu voted for the ratification of the Convention.
A Bill passed the second reading in the Riigikogu:
The Bill on Amendments to the Commercial Code (transfer of share) (148 SE, consolidated Bills 101 SE and 117 SE), initiated by the Legal Affairs Committee and the Government, will simplify the transfer of shares of private limited companies and eliminate unnecessary restrictions and formal requirements. Under the Bill, the minimum value of a share will be set at one cent instead of the current one euro. The formal requirement for a transaction constituting an obligation to transfer or pledge a share which currently applies to all private limited companies will be repealed. A private limited company with a share capital meeting the minimum requirement will be allowed to provide in its articles of association with the consent of all partners that a disposition for the transfer or pledge of a share can be carried out under a simplified procedure, that is, in a format which can be reproduced in writing.
The minimum value of a share will be set at one cent instead of the current one euro which will allow to determine the amounts of the shares of private limited companies more flexibly. Under the current law, a transaction constituting an obligation to transfer or pledge a share as well as a disposition must be notarised (except in the case when the shares of the private limited company have been entered in the Estonian register of securities).
Three Bills passed the first reading:
The Bill on Amendments to the Aliens Act (135 SE), initiated by the Government on 20 January, will establish a digital nomad visa that would enable people who work location-independently to work in Estonia on the basis of a visa. A digital nomad visa may be a short-stay visa or a long-stay visa. The general conditions for granting a visa will apply upon application for it. Although it is in essence a form of tourism, it is not tourism in the classical sense but working for a company in a foreign country.
The amendments are justified by noting that Estonia is one of the first countries in the world to enable digital nomads to apply for a visa for the purpose of teleworking. People who work online for example in IT, finance or marketing, at the same time travelling around in different countries, are called digital nomads. Digital nomads bring significant added value to a country because they consume goods and services and thereby have a positive impact on local enterprise.
It is also said that Estonia is known for its innovative technological solutions and it is an attractive destination country for digital nomads on an international scale, but the current labour migration regulation does not take into account digital nomads. They need to have an Estonian employer in order to come to work in Estonia, and therefore digital nomads often come to Estonia with a tourist visa although they also wish to telework while staying here. As digital nomads do not fit into the regulation of working in the classical sense, the requirement to have an Estonian employer stops them from coming to Estonia and choosing a purposeful basis for their stay in Estonia.
A digital nomad can come to Estonia to telework only through a mediator who is then responsible for his or her stay here. At the same time, the general conditions for granting a visa apply to digital nomads. Among other things, they need to have sufficient financial resources to stay in Estonia.
The Bill will also provide for the obligations of a sponsor for employers who register aliens’ short-term employment. It will also organise the application for a long-stay visa.
Raimond Kaljulaid took the floor during the debate.
The Bill on the Ratification of the Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Estonia, the Government of the Republic of Latvia and the Government of the Republic of Lithuania on the Configuration of the Baltic Air Surveillance Network and Control System (137 SE), initiated by the Government, provides that the Control and Reporting Centre will be closed down, and the implementation of the Baltic Air Surveillance Network and Control System to secure the sovereignty of the airspace will be carried out through national control and reporting centres that are able to replace one another if necessary. At the same time, this will allow to start preparing the national control and reporting centres for crisis and conflict situations and to increase the capability of the configuration of the Baltic Air Surveillance Network and Control System.
The Ministers of Defence of the Baltic states signed the agreement in Brussels on 24 September 2019.
In 1999, BALTNET, the integrated air surveillance network of the three Baltic states was established by an intergovernmental agreement with the aim of organising exchange of information between Estonian, Lithuanian and Latvian national air surveillance systems, enabling the production of a common air surveillance picture of the Baltic region, and sharing it with third parties. As part of the NATO air defence system, BALTNET’s tasks also include air traffic control and tactical control of air polishing operations, besides air surveillance. The BALTNET air surveillance system consisted of a common control and reporting centre in Lithuania, and national centres in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.
The agreement needs to be ratified in the Riigikogu because, with its entry into force, the agreement between the Governments of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania on the Development of the Baltic Air Surveillance Network and Control System, ratified by the Riigikogu on 24 October 2007, will become invalid.
The major amendments proposed in the Bill on Amendments to the Social Welfare Act, the Social Benefits for Disabled Persons Act, the State Fees Act and the Labour Market Services and Benefits Act (146 SE), initiated by the Government, concern the social rehabilitation service, special welfare services, the safe house service, the alternative care service and the continued care service. The amendment concerning the social rehabilitation service will provide for the possibility for people with first episode psychosis to receive rehabilitation treatment by bypassing the queue for the rehabilitation service on the assessment of the treatment team. The amendment is necessary because it will provide timely and uninterrupted support and better recovery to people with first episode psychosis. The amendments are planned to be enforced on 1 January 2021.
The Bill will create flexibility that will enable to increase the maximum size of the family of a substitute home and family home, which currently is six children, in the interests of children. It is justified to grant a derogation if for example children of a family numbering more than six need alternative care.
In the case of continued care service, the Bill will expand the possibilities of local governments to fund the continued care service for young people from the funds of the support fund. With the amendment, in the future, local governments will be able to support at the expense of the support fund for example young people who resume their studies after an interruption to studies. The amendments are planned to be enforced pursuant to general procedure.
With the amendments to the Social Benefits for Disabled Persons Act, medical experts of the Social Insurance Board will be given the possibility to identify a person’s disability and the degree of severity of the disability in persons of working age on the basis of their health data. At present, applicants need to describe the restrictions they are experiencing by spheres of activities in order for the degree of severity of their disability to be identified. In addition, according to the Bill, in the case of a child with a severe or profound disability whose condition is constant and unchanging or progressive, the duration of the degree of severity of the disability can be identified for until he or she attains working age. At present, the degree of severity of disability is determined for one to three years. The amendment is planned to be enforced on 1 April 2020.
The amendment to the Labour Market Services and Benefits Act will give the Estonian Unemployment Insurance Fund the possibility to use counselling of the unemployed by telephone or through electronic means more flexibly, instead of inviting them to face-to-face counselling, in justified cases.
Helmen Kütt (Social Democratic Party) took the floor during the debate.
The Riigikogu rejected three Bills at the first reading:
The Bill on Amendments to the Funded Pensions Act, the Income Tax Act and the Securities Register Maintenance Act (119 SE), initiated by the Estonian Reform Party Faction and the Social Democratic Party Faction, was intended to create greater flexibility in how the assets accumulated are used during the retirement period and to also enable needs-based use of the assets in the contributions stage in certain clearly delimited cases. The Bill would also have given people an opportunity to increase their contributions to the mandatory funded pension scheme.
During the debate, Riina Sikkut (Social Democratic Party), Helir-Valdor Seeder (Isamaa) and Jürgen Ligi (Reform Party) took the floor.
52 members of the Riigikogu voted in favour of the rejection of the Bill at the first reading, and 41 voted against.
The Bill on Amendments to the Medicinal Products Act (127 SE), initiated by members of the Riigikogu Jevgeni Ossinovski, Helmen Kütt and Riina Sikkut, provided for the possibility for hospital pharmacies to import medicinal products. In addition, the Bill would have enabled pharmacies of the hospitals specified in the plan of the hospital network also to engage in the retail sale of medicinal products in their hospitals in a similar manner as general pharmacies do, in addition to supplying hospital departments.
During the debate, Riina Sikkut (Social Democratic Party), Urmas Espenberg (Estonian Conservative People’s Party) and Aivar Kokk (Isamaa) took the floor.
63 members of the Riigikogu voted in favour of the rejection of the Bill at the first reading, and 11 voted against.
The Bill on Amendments to the Medicinal Products Act (141 SE), initiated by members of the Riigikogu Jevgeni Ossinovski, Riina Sikkut and Helmen Kütt. The Medicinal Products Act sets out the requirement that, upon issuing a general pharmacy authorisation, a majority of the shares and the dominant influence must belong to a pharmacist. According to the Bill, this requirement would also have deemed to be fulfilled in the case when a majority of the shares and the dominant influence belonged jointly to several pharmacists.
During the debate, Riina Sikkut (Social Democratic Party), Urmas Espenberg (Estonian Conservative People’s Party) and Aivar Kokk (Isamaa) took the floor.
54 members of the Riigikogu voted in favour of the rejection of the Bill at the first reading, and 11 voted against.