Work of the Constitutional Committee

The Constitutional Committee is a standing committee of the Riigikogu. Its functions are limited to constitutional aspects. The Committee proceeds Bills amending the Constitution, Bills regulating the work of the Riigikogu, the President of the Republic, the Government, the State Audit Office, the courts and the Chancellor of Justice, as well as Bills on citizenship, foreign nationals and elections.

Work with Bills

The Constitution of the Republic of Estonia is the key text that lays out our fundamental principles and has supremacy over other legal acts. The Constitutional Committee functions as the leading committee in proceeding:

• Bills on amendments to the Constitution
• Bills regulating the activities of the Riigikogu, President of the Republic, Government of the Republic, State Audit Office, courts and Chancellor of Justice
• Bills concerning elections of the Riigikogu, President of the Republic, European Parliament and local government councils and referendums.
• Bills concerning the bases for granting Estonian citizenship, and the legal status of EU citizens and other foreign citizens
• Bills regulating protection of personal data, public service, administrative proceedings and state liability
• Bills concerning other issues of public and administrative law that are relevant to the constitutional order of Estonia

The Constitutional Committee also functions as the leading committee during the legislative proceeding of Bills ratifying international treaties, draft resolutions, statements, declarations and communications of the Riigikogu relating to these issues.

In addition to this, the Constitutional Committee conducts the legislative proceeding of draft resolutions on the formation of select, investigation and problem committees, as well as drafts on the appointment to office of higher state officials listed in the Constitution (justices of the Supreme Court, Chancellor of Justice, Auditor General).

Other functions

The Constitutional Committee provides the European Union Affairs Committee and the Foreign Affairs Committee with its opinions on EU draft legislation pertaining to its area of competence. The Committee also forms its opinion on the constitutionality of all the legislative acts that the President of the Republic has refused to proclaim.