NordenBladet —As of August 1, 2024, Major General Indrek Sirel of the Estonian Defence Forces assumed the command of the Estonian Division. „I appreciate what my predecessor Major General Veiko-Vello Palm has achieved and I will continue developing the Estonian Division with the emphasis on the further development of the deep …
Source: Estonian Defence Forces
NordenBladet —
The Riigikogu first passed the Motor Vehicle Tax Act (364 UA), initiated by the Government, on 12 June. The President of the Republic refused to promulgate the Act on 25 June on account of its provisions violating the principle of equal treatment. On 15 July, the Riigikogu decided not to pass the Act again without amendments and set the deadline for submission of motions to amend the Act as 19 July.
374 motions to amend the Bill had been submitted by deadline. The Finance Committee had consolidated them into 30 motions to amend and the Finance Committee in its turn had made three amendments to the Bill. According to the amendments, instead of the tax exemptions planned earlier, targeted support measures are provided for vehicles converted or adapted for disabled people.
According to the Act, a number of benefits for people with disabilities will increase and the state’s participation in the acquisition of technical aids will increase. In addition, there are plans to pay a one-off benefit to people with disabilities to mitigate the impact of the delay between the entry into force of the car tax and the amendment to the Social Benefits for Disabled Persons Act. The Act enters into force on 1 January, while the monthly benefits for people with disabilities and the provisions concerning technical aids are proposed to come into force in June 2025.
The social benefit for disabled people will be paid monthly to people with a moderate, severe or profound disability to partially compensate for additional costs due to their disability. According to a motion to amend, the benefits for children and working-age people with a severe or profound disability will be increased, and the benefit for working-age people with a severe or profound disability will be harmonised to a fixed amount (the benefit will no longer depend on the type of disability). This will ensure people with disabilities an important additional support in their monthly budget. At the same time, the disability benefit for children and working-age people with a moderate disability and the disability benefits for people of old-age pension age will be rounded upwards. The amendment will concern all children and working-age people with a severe or profound disability.
An amendment is planned to increase the benefits for children with a severe or profound disability to €180 and €270 respectively, which will bring families with disabled children an additional monthly benefit of €18.91 and €28.36. In addition, the benefit for working-age people with a profound disability will be increased to €100, which will ensure them an extra €46.3–56.53 per month. The benefit for working-age people with a severe disability will be harmonised at €50, allowing them an additional benefit of €0.91–15.22 per month.
There are also plans to pay a one-off disability benefit to children and working-age people with a severe or profound disability in 2025 to compensate for the costs added by the motor vehicle tax before the Act on the increase in disability benefits comes into force.
An amendment also provides that, in the future, the state will provide a discount for technical aids regardless of the degree of severity of disability or reduced capacity for work. As a result of the amendment, in no age group will the entitlement to obtaining a technical aid with a discount from the state be based on the degree of severity of disability identified or the reduced capacity for work as assessed by the Estonian Unemployment Insurance Fund. In the future, the discount will be based on the person’s actual need for a technical aid which will be determined by a specialist who will issue a certificate for the technical aid.
For children under the age of 18, the amendment will mean that the state will reimburse the cost of a technical aid within a threshold of 90% to all children who are identified as needing a technical aid. The state will reimburse the cost of a technical aid to the extent of 40–90% according to the list of technical aids on a means-tested basis to all working-age people who are identified as needing a technical aid.
The Act establishes a motor vehicle tax in Estonia which consists of a component to be paid every year by motor vehicle owners on vehicles registered in the motor register and a component formed by the motor vehicle registration fee which will have to be paid upon the registration of passenger cars and vans in the motor register. The purpose of the motor vehicle tax is to direct people to use less polluting vehicles and to support the use of old cars until the end of their useful life.
During the debate, Martin Helme (Estonian Conservative People’s Party), Urmas Reinsalu (Isamaa), Andrei Korobeinik (Centre Party) and Õnne Pillak (Reform Party) took the floor.
54 members of the Riigikogu voted for the Act and 28 were against.
The Act on Amendments to the Income Tax Act (443 SE), initiated by the Government, amends the principles for the allocation of income tax to local governments. Starting in 2025, the share of the income tax paid to municipalities on pension income will be increased and the share paid on other income will be reduced gradually over three years, so that they will be equal at 10.23 percent by 2027. Currently, municipalities receive income tax to the extent of 2.5 percent on pension income and 11.89 percent on other income of natural persons.
The Act aims to reduce regional underdevelopment and urban sprawl. The amendment will accelerate the growth of income tax receipts in municipalities with a high share of elderly people and slow it down in municipalities with a higher share of working-age population and higher salary levels. The total amount of the revenue base of local governments remains unchanged under the Act.
Madis Kallas (Social Democratic Party) took the floor during the debate.
55 members of the Riigikogu voted for the Act and 10 were against.
Half an hour after the end of the sitting, today’s third extraordinary session will be held. The agenda includes the deliberation of a motion to express no confidence in Minister of Infrastructure Vladimir Svet.
The sitting ended at 6.26 p.m.
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: The Riigikogu passed the updated Motor Vehicle Tax Act and the Income Tax Act
Source: Parliament of Estonia
NordenBladet —
At the beginning of the sitting, Hele Everaus took the oath of office. She became a Member of the Riigikogu, replacing Raimond Tamm. Minister of Defence Hanno Pevkur also took the oath of office before the Riigikogu.
Two Bills passed the second reading
The Riigikogu first passed the Motor Vehicle Tax Bill (364 UA), initiated by the Government, on 12 June. The President of the Republic refused to promulgate the Act on 25 June on account of its provisions violating the principle of equal treatment. On 15 July, the Riigikogu decided not to pass the Act again without amendments and set the deadline for submission of motions to amend the Act as 19 July.
374 motions to amend the Bill had been submitted by deadline. The Finance Committee had consolidated them into 30 motions to amend and the Finance Committee in its turn had made three amendments to the Bill. According to the amendments, instead of the tax exemptions planned earlier, targeted support measures will be provided for vehicles converted or adapted for disabled people.
According to the Bill, a number of allowances for people with disabilities will increase and the state’s participation in the acquisition of technical aids will increase. In addition, there are plans to pay a one-off benefit to people with disabilities to mitigate the impact of the delay between the entry into force of the car tax and the amendment to the Social Benefits for Disabled Persons Act. According to the Bill, the Act enters into force on 1 January, while the monthly allowances for people with disabilities and the provisions concerning technical aids are proposed to come into force in June 2025.
Under the Bill, the social benefit for disabled people will be paid monthly to people with a moderate, severe or profound disability to partially compensate for additional costs due to their disability. According to a motion to amend, the allowances for children and working-age people with a severe or profound disability will be increased, and the allowance for working-age people with a severe or profound disability will be harmonised to a fixed amount (the allowance will no longer depend on the type of disability). This will ensure people with disabilities an important additional support in their monthly budget. At the same time, the disability allowance for children and working-age people with a moderate disability and the disability allowances for people of old-age pension age will be rounded upwards. The amendment will concern all children and working-age people with a severe or profound disability.
The amendment is planned to increase the allowances for children with a severe or profound disability to €180 and €270 respectively, which will bring families with disabled children an additional monthly allowance of €18.91 and €28.36. In addition, the allowance for working-age people with a profound disability will be increased to €100, which will ensure them an extra €46.3–56.53 per month. The allowance for working-age people with a severe disability will be harmonised at €50, allowing them an additional allowance of €0.91-15.22 per month.
There are also plans to pay a one-off disability allowance to children and working-age people with a severe or profound disability in 2025 to compensate for the costs added by the motor vehicle tax before the Act on the increase in disability allowances comes into force.
The amendment also provides that, in the future, the state will provide a discount for technical aids regardless of the degree of severity of disability or reduced capacity for work. As a result of the amendment, in no age group will the entitlement to obtaining a technical aid with a discount from the state be based on the degree of severity of disability identified or the reduced capacity for work as assessed by the Estonian Unemployment Insurance Fund. In the future, the discount will be based on the person’s actual need for a technical aid which will be determined by a specialist who will issue a certificate for the technical aid.
For children under the age of 18, the amendment will mean that the state will reimburse the cost of a technical aid within a threshold of 90% to all children who are identified as needing a technical aid. The state will reimburse the cost of a technical aid to the extent of 40–90% according to the list of technical aids on a means-tested basis to all working-age people who are identified as needing a technical aid.
The Bill will establish a motor vehicle tax in Estonia which will consist of a component to be paid every year by motor vehicle owners on vehicles registered in the motor register and a component formed by the motor vehicle registration fee which will have to be paid upon the registration of passenger cars and vans in the motor register. The purpose of the motor vehicle tax will be to direct people to use less polluting vehicles and to support the use of old cars until the end of their useful life.
During the debate, Martin Helme, Helle-Moonika Helme, Rain Epler, Kert Kingo, Mart Helme, Rene Kokk, Anti Poolamets, Siim Pohlak and Arvo Aller from the Estonian Conservative People’s Party Group; Andrei Korobeinik, Aleksandr Tšaplõgin, Aleksei Jevgrafov and Vadim Belobrovtsev from the Estonian Centre Party Parliamentary Group; Anti Allas from the Social Democratic Party Group and Andres Metsoja, Urmas Reinsalu, Helir-Valdor Seeder, Mart Maastik, Aivar Kokk, Riina Solman, Priit Sibul and Tõnis Lukas from Isamaa Parliamentary Group took the floor. Non-attached Members of the Riigikogu Kalle Grünthal, Jaanus Karilaid and Jaak Valge also took the floor during the debate.
Isamaa Parliamentary Group and the Estonian Conservative People’s Party Parliamentary Group moved to suspend the second reading of the Bill. The plenary did not support the motion. 28 members of the Riigikogu were in favour of the motion and 54 were against.
Bill on Amendments to the Income Tax Act
The Bill on Amendments to the Income Tax Act (443 SE), initiated by the Government, will amend the principles for the allocation of income tax to local governments. Starting in 2025, the share of the income tax paid to municipalities on pension income will be increased and the share paid on other income will be reduced gradually over three years, so that they will be equal at 10.23 percent by 2027. Currently, municipalities receive income tax to the extent of 2.5 percent on pension income and 11.89 percent on other income of natural persons.
The Bill aims to reduce regional underdevelopment and urban sprawl. The amendment will accelerate the growth of income tax receipts in municipalities with a high share of elderly people and slow it down in municipalities with a higher share of working-age population and higher salary levels. The total revenue base of local governments remains unchanged under the Bill.
During the debate, Aivar Kokk, Helir-Valdor Seeder and Andres Metsoja from Isamaa Parliamentary Group, Vadim Belobrovtsev from the Estonian Centre Party Parliamentary Group and Rain Epler from the Estonian Conservative People’s Party Parliamentary Group took the floor.
Isamaa Parliamentary Group moved to suspend the second reading of the Bill. The motion was not supported. 13 members of the Riigikogu were in favour of the motion and 55 were against.
The third reading of both the Motor Vehicle Tax Act and the Act on Amendments to the Income Tax Act will take place one hour after the end of the first extraordinary sitting today.
The sitting ended at 4.34 p.m.
Verbatim record of the sitting (in Estonian)
Video recording will be available to watch later on the Riigikogu YouTube channel.
Riigikogu Press Service
Maiki Vaikla
+372 631 6456, +372 5666 9508
maiki.vaikla@riigikogu.ee
Questions: press@riigikogu.ee
Link uudisele: Updated car tax passed the second reading in the Riigikogu
Source: Parliament of Estonia
NordenBladet —
The first sitting of the extraordinary session in the Session Hall of Toompea Castle will start at 10 a.m. on Monday and will continue until all items on the agenda have been deliberated. The agenda for the sitting includes the oath of office of Minister of Defence Hanno Pevkur and the second reading of the Motor Vehicle Tax Bill (364 UA), initiated by the Government, and the Bill on Amendments to the Income Tax Act (443 SE), initiated by the Government.
If the second reading of both Bills is concluded, a second extraordinary sitting will also be held on the same day, starting one hour after the end of the first sitting and also continuing until all items on the agenda have been deliberated. The agenda for that sitting includes the third reading of the Motor Vehicle Tax Bill (364 UA) and the Bill on Amendments to the Income Tax Act (443 SE).
Riigikogu Press Service
Karin Kangro
+372 631 6356, +372 520 0323
karin.kangro@riigikogu.ee
Questions: press@riigikogu.ee
Link uudisele: President of the Riigikogu convened an extraordinary session for 29 July
Source: Parliament of Estonia
NordenBladet —
Since the Prime Minister of the previous Government Kaja Kallas was released from her duties as a member of the Government yesterday, her mandate as a member of the Riigikogu was restored from today. Since Kallas resigned after her mandate was restored, the Board of the Riigikogu decided that, from Thursday, substitute member Urve Tiidus would become a member of the Riigikogu. Tiidus was also a member of the Riigikogu before Kallas returned to parliament.
Riigikogu Press Service
Karin Kangro
+372 631 6356, +372 520 0323
karin.kangro@riigikogu.ee
Questions: press@riigikogu.ee
Link uudisele: Urve Tiidus returns to the Riigikogu as substitute member for Kaja Kallas
Source: Parliament of Estonia
NordenBladet —
As the Prime Minister of the previous Government Kaja Kallas and Minister of Finance Mart Võrklaev were released from their duties as members of the Government, their mandates as members of the Riigikogu will be restored from Wednesday. In connection with that, the mandates of Members of the Riigikogu Irina Talviste and Urve Tiidus will end. The Board of the Riigikogu decided that, since Raimond Tamm who became a member of the Riigikogu resigned before taking an oath of office, substitute member Hele Everaus would become a member of the Riigikogu from Wednesday.
Yesterday the Board decided that, from Tuesday, substitute members Irina Talviste and Raimond Tamm would become members of the Riigikogu, as would Ando Kiviberg and Madis Timpson, because the mandates of Yoko Alender, Erkki Keldo, Jürgen Ligi and Liisa Pakosta as members of the Riigikogu were suspended due to their appointment as members of the new Government.
Ando Kiviberg and Madis Timpson took their oaths of office at today’s extraordinary session. The Board of the Riigikogu registered Ando Kiviberg as a member of Estonia 200 Parliamentary Group and Madis Timpson as a member of the Reform Party Group. In addition, the Board registered Õnne Pillak as the Chairman of the Reform Party Group and Mihkel Lees and Liina Kersna as Deputy Chairmen.
The Board also approved changes to the membership of three committees of the Riigikogu. Kristina Šmigun-Vähi will leave the Social Affairs Committee and become a member of the Economic Affairs Committee. Madis Timpson will become a member of the Social Affairs Committee and Maris Lauri will become a member of the Security Authorities Surveillance Select Committee.
Riigikogu Press Service
Karin Kangro
+372 631 6356, +372 520 0323
karin.kangro@riigikogu.ee
Questions: press@riigikogu.ee
Link uudisele: Hele Everaus becomes a member of the Riigikogu; Kaja Kallas and Mart Võrklaev return to parliament
Source: Parliament of Estonia
NordenBladet —
An extraordinary session on 22 July at 11 a.m. The agenda includes authorisation of the candidate for Prime Minister Kristen Michal to form a Government of the Republic.
An extraordinary session on 23 July at 10 a.m. (in case the candidate for Prime Minister Kristen Michal is authorised by the Riigikogu to form the Government of the Republic and the President of the Republic appoints the Government to office).
The agenda for the session includes the oath of office of the Government of the Republic.
As regards the working schedule of the extraordinary sessions, the Board of the Riigikogu proposes to work without a recess until all items on the agenda have been deliberated.
Riigikogu Press Service
Gunnar Paal
+372 631 6351, +372 5190 2837
gunnar.paal@riigikogu.ee
Questions: press@riigikogu.ee
Link uudisele: Riigikogu will convene for extraordinary sessions on 22 July and 23 July
Source: Parliament of Estonia
NordenBladet —
The Riigikogu decided not to pass again without amendments the Motor Vehicle Tax Act (364 UA) which the President of the Republic had refused to promulgate. The Act was initiated by the Government and was passed on 12 June. It is intended to establish a motor vehicle tax which will consist of a component to be paid every year by motor vehicle owners on vehicles registered in the motor register and a component formed by the motor vehicle registration fee which will have to be paid upon the registration of passenger cars and vans in the motor register. The purpose of the motor vehicle tax will be to direct people to make more environmentally friendly choices when acquiring new vehicles and to support the use of old cars until the end of their useful life.
President Alar Karis refused to promulgate the Act on 25 June on account of its provisions violating the principle of equal treatment. He noted that although, under the Act, motor vehicles belonging to natural persons which had been specially converted or adapted for the transport of disabled people or for use by disabled people were not subject to motor vehicle tax and no registration fee had to be paid for such vehicles, neither of the exemptions extended to people who had a mobility impairment that did not necessitate conversion or adaptation of the vehicle. The President saw it necessary to discuss the Act again and to bring it into conformity with the Constitution.
During the debate, Anastassia Kovalenko-Kõlvart, Aleksandr Tšaplõgin, Vadim Belobrovtsev and Lauri Laats from the Centre Party Group, Martin Helme, Rain Epler and Rene Kokk from the Estonian Conservative People’s Party Group and Aivar Kokk from Isamaa Parliamentary Group took the floor. Non-attached Members of the Riigikogu Kalle Grünthal and Henn Põlluaas also made speeches.
No member of the Riigikogu supported the passing of the Act again without amendments and 93 voted against it. As the Riigikogu did not pass the Act again without amendments, the deadline for submission of motions to amend the Act was set, which is 4 p.m. on 19 July, and the further proceedings on it will continue pursuant to the general procedure.
The Riigikogu elected two Vice-Presidents at an extraordinary election
After the renewed deliberation of the Act, the Riigikogu elected Vice-Presidents at an extraordinary election. The election of the Vice-Presidents was held because the former Second Vice-President Jüri Ratas became a member of the European Parliament.
Chairman of the Estonian Conservative People’s Party Group Martin Helme nominated Arvo Aller as a candidate for a Vice-President, Chairman of the Reform Party Group Erkki Keldo nominated Toomas Kivimägi and Chairman of Isamaa Parliamentary Group Helir-Valdor Seeder nominated Urmas Reinsalu.
In a secret ballot, Aller gained 20 votes, Kivimägi 58 and Reinsalu 17. Thus, Toomas Kivimägi was elected as the First Vice-President of the Riigikogu and Arvo Aller was elected as the Second Vice-President. In total, 96 members of the Riigikogu took part in the secret ballot. One ballot paper was invalid.
At the beginning of the sitting, Member of the Riigikogu Vladimir Arhipov took the oath of office before the Riigikogu.
The sitting ended at 1.39 p.m.
Photos (Author: Erik Peinar / Chancellery of the Riigikogu)
Verbatim record of the sitting (in Estonian)
Video recording will be available to watch later on the Riigikogu YouTube channel.
Riigikogu Press Service
Karin Kangro
+372 631 6356, +372 520 0323
karin.kangro@riigikogu.ee
Questions: press@riigikogu.ee
Link uudisele: The Riigikogu resumed the deliberation of the Motor Vehicle Tax Act and elected two Vice-Presidents
Source: Parliament of Estonia
NordenBladet —
Estonia considers it necessary to have a unified approach across the European Union, because in this way, not only Estonia, but the whole Europe will be healthier.
“This is already a question of survival—Estonians, especially the young people, hold the “black” first place in the world in e-cigarette consumption, our consumption is also growing very rapidly and we have an unprecedented number of different products registered for sale. We are very concerned about the health of the Estonians and the damage to the environment. If we act domestically, we will not be completely successful because goods move freely within the European Union. Unfortunately, we can also see the results of the tobacco lobby in Estonia, and there is a lot of misleading information and ignorance. It was especially positive today to hear young people’s representatives say that they expect more decisiveness from politicians in restricting nicotine,” Chair of the European Union Affairs Committee Liisa Pakosta explained.
Estonia recommends the European Commission to establish lists of flavourings allowed throughout Europe and set upper limits for nicotine content, ban internet sales and introduce standard packaging to reduce attractiveness. It is also recommended to extend smoke-free areas and ban the marketing of single-use e-cigarettes.
“We support EU-level regulations, but we also want to see much more prevention and information activities at national level. This is necessary, so that the life and health of people, including our close ones, would be protected. In Isamaa’s opinion, it is necessary to channel more money into the promotion of healthy lifestyles, in order to introduce them in society more widely, but especially among the young people,” member of the European Union Affairs Committee Riina Solman said.
According to the survey of health behaviour among the adult population, in 2020, regular e-cigarette users formed 3.8% of the adult population in Estonia, but in 2022, this percentage had already risen to 10.4%.
A worrying trend is the increase among young women, where the number of daily cigarette users had risen to 11.5% in just a few years. The number of nicotine pouch users has also increased among the younger age group, where a total of 20% of men aged 16–24 were regular users in 2022.
Estonia’s positions regarding the updating of the legal acts of the European Union on tobacco and nicotine products were discussed at the public sitting of the European Union Affairs Committee of the Riigikogu. Representatives of the Ministry of Social Affairs, WHO Country Office in Estonia, National Institute for Health Development, Tartu University Hospital, Estonian Medical Association, Estonian Junior Doctors Association, Estonian Respiratory Society, Health Promotion Union of Estonia, Estonian Academy of Security Sciences, University of Tartu, Estonian Association of Youth Workers, Estonian School Students Councils Union, OÜ Eesti Elektroonikaromu, Youth Environmental Council and NPO Eesti Elektri- ja Elektroonikaseadmete Ringlus participated in the public sitting. Video recording of the public debate can be viewed on the Riigikogu YouTube channel.
For more information, please contact: Liisa Pakosta, +372 502 6191
Maiki Vaikla
+372 631 6456, +372 5666 9508
maiki.vaikla@riigikogu.ee
Questions: press@riigikogu.ee
Link uudisele: Estonia recommends strengthening EU tobacco and nicotine products regulations
Source: Parliament of Estonia
NordenBladet —
In the opinion of the Chair of the European Union Affairs Committee Liisa Pakosta, Estonia’s main concern is its global record in the consumption of e-cigarettes. “Besides that, the growth trend in consumption has also been very rapid in Estonia, otherwise we would not hold this black record in the world, and the number of products containing nicotine that are registered for sale here is by far the highest in Europe. In this situation, we will hear what are the specific points of concern for both experts and the representatives of young people. I encourage everyone to listen and to think, because the health and environmental damages caused by nicotine are among the most easily preventable damages,” Pakosta pointed out.
“Usually we work with the draft legislation prepared in the European Union, but now we are ourselves making a proposal to the European Commission on behalf of Estonia to initiate a new draft and harmonise restrictions throughout the European Union,” Pakosta said.
The purpose of the public debate held on Friday is to get information on the points of concern relating to the novel tobacco products sector with the help of experts. After that, the members of the Riigikogu will formulate their assessment regarding Estonia’s positions on the European Union legislation on tobacco and nicotine products, prepared by the Ministry of Social Affairs. This is Estonia’s proposal to the European Commission to harmonise requirements for all products containing nicotine, including e-cigarettes and nicotine pouches. The aim is to reduce health and environmental damages in the EU.
Minister of Health Riina Sikkut, Liaison Officer of the World Health Organization in Estonia Kristina Köhler, Head of Dugs and Addictions Department of the National Institute for Health Development Anneli Sammel, Head of the Children and Youth Unit of the National Institute for Health Development Tiia Pertel, Senior Doctor and Lecturer at Tartu University Hospital Kristjan Pomm, representative of the Estonian Junior Doctors Association Patrick Pihelgas, representative of the Estonian Medical Association Neeme Tõnisson, member of Youth Environmental Council Brigitta Taling, CEO of WeeRec OÜ Hans Talgre, police service cadet at the Estonian Academy of Security Sciences Taavi-Toomas Leemets and Research Fellow in Health Policy at the University of Tartu Mariliis Põld will present reports at the sitting.
The public debate will take place on Friday, 12 July at 9 a.m. in the Conference Hall of the Riigikogu, and it will be live streamed online. Video recording will be available to watch later on the Riigikogu YouTube channel.
For more information, please contact: Liisa Pakosta, + 372 502 6191
Riigikogu Press Service
Maiki Vaikla
+372 631 6456, +372 5666 9508
maiki.vaikla@riigikogu.ee
Questions: press@riigikogu.ee
Link uudisele: The European Union Affairs Committee considers harsher rules on vapes and nicotine pouches
Source: Parliament of Estonia