The Act on Amendments to the Defence Forces Organisation Act and Other Associated Acts (634 SE), initiated by the Government, which provides merging of the educational institutions of the Defence Forces into a single structural unit of the Defence Forces, was passed with 81 votes in favour. It is going to be Võru Battle School.

 

The Act on Amendments to the Alcohol, Tobacco, Fuel and Electricity Excise Duty Act (625 SE), initiated by the Government, which brings the Act into conformity with the new respective CEC Directive concerning the general arrangements for excise duty, was passed with 85 votes in favour. According to the Act, excise monitoring is not applied to excise goods if they are under customs supervision. Movement of goods imported from a third country is enabled within the territory of the Community under excise monitoring without application of customs formalities. It is obligatory to use an electronic delivery note upon carrying of goods between Member States in temporary exemption. The Act specifies the list of payers of excise duty in cases of irregularity and the provisions concerning liability for payment of excise duty in carriage of goods. The provisions concerning charging excise duty on goods released for consumption in another Member State were also specified.

 

The Act on Amendments to the Water Act and Associated Acts (581 SE), initiated by the Government, which adds the regulation of construction of structures not permanently attached to the shore (e.g. wind farms) in public bodies of water to the legislation which is currently in force, was passed with 85 votes in favour.

 

The Act on Amendments to the Railways Act and the State Fees Act (573 SE), initiated by the Government, which updates the minimum rates of liability insurance established in the Railways Act, harmonises the procedure for the management of railways not designated as public railways, and amends the procedure for the issue of the locomotive driver’s licence, was passed with 85 votes in favour.

 

The Authorised Public Accountants Act (488 SE), initiated by the Government, which updates the activities of auditors and introduces into the Act the changes which have occurred in this field, was passed with 81 votes in favour (2 votes against).

 

 

The Bill on Amendments to the Electricity Market Act (605 SE), initiated by the Government, creates preconditions for real functioning of the electricity market and launching of the electricity stock exchange in Estonia. The Economic Affairs Committee approved the motion to amend according to which the state will support production of electricity from biomass only in the case when it is carried out in a co-production regime. The Economic Affairs Committee also supported the proposal to pay renewable energy support to energy producers who produce energy from renewable sources and use it for the purposes of their own production.

 

The Bill on Amendments to the Financial Supervision Authority Act, the Investment Funds Act, the Insurance Activities Act, the Credit Institutions Act, the Law of Obligations Act and the Securities Market Act (626 SE), initiated by the Government, extends the opportunities of cross-border provision of financial services in banking and investment service as well as in insurance activities and intermediation. On the entry into force of the Bill, undertakings of the Estonian financial sector will have wider opportunities for cross-border operation in countries that are not Member States of the European Economic Area and undertakings of such countries will, in their turn, have an opportunity for cross-border operation in Estonia.

 

The Bill on Amendments to the Medicinal Products Act and the Act on Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances and Precursors thereof (617 SE), initiated by the Government, eliminates the restriction on the free movement of services and enables availability of medicinal products in Estonia on the basis of medical prescriptions issued in other European Union Member States. The Bill also eliminates the restrictions on issue and amendment of the activity licence of general pharmacy. The Bill restricts recognition of medical prescriptions for narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances issued on the basis of other European Union medical prescriptions. This is due to the high risk of falsification of medical prescriptions and abuse of medicinal products.

 

The Bill on Amendments to the Social Welfare Act (624 SE), initiated by the Government, creates the social services and benefits data register which will enable to better apply individual approach in assisting people in welfare services. An amendment was introduced to the Bill, which changes the child care service information system into an information system of places at pre-school child care institutions.

 

On the motion of the Finance Committee, the second reading of the Financial Management of Local Government Bill (366 SE), initiated by the Government, was suspended. The Bill updates budget organisation of local governments. It harmonises the principles of budget organisation and financial accounting and establishes the regulation of accrual budgeting.

 

 

The Bill on Amendments to the Customs Act and the Value Added Tax Act (645 SE), initiated by the Government, brings the Customs Act into conformity with the amendments concerning submission of the summary declaration made to the European Union Customs Code and implementing provisions thereof, extends the competence of the customs with regard to controls of cash and establishes a basis for time-sensitive goods to cross the border in priority queue. Also, several amendments concerning technical norms and wording are made.

 

The Bill on Amendments to the Social Welfare Act (659 SE), initiated by the Government, amends the procedure for application for an activity licence for child care service, substitute home service and special welfare services and provides the fire safety requirements for the premises where childcare services are provided. The Bill also harmonises the definitions of “seat” and “place of business” in the Social Welfare Act.

 

The Bill on Amendments to the National Defence League Act (658 SE), initiated by the Government, provides the legal status of the guards of the National Defence League. The Chapter concerning guarding regulates four main legal spheres of provision of guarding: the definition of a guard and guarding, the status of a guard and the rights and obligations of a guard. The Bill defines the circle of persons and agencies where the National Defence League may exercise guarding, the procedure for determining the objects to be guarded and the procedure for payment for guarding. The National Defence League has been engaging in the guarding of the Ministry of Defence, the area of government of the Ministry of Defence, including the Defence Forces, and some missions of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs since 1 January 2003. Since then, the legal status of the guards of the National Defence League has been problematic and the legal bases of guarding have also been insufficiently regulated.

 

At Question Time, Prime Minister Andrus Ansip answered the question about labour market, submitted by Mai Treial. The Minister of Culture Laine Jänes answered the question about the capital of culture, submitted by Georg Pelisaar, and the question about financing of sports, submitted by Evelyn Sepp. The Minister of Internal Affairs Marko Pomerants answered the question about organised crime, submitted by Karel Rüütli.

 

The Riigikogu Press Service