The Riigikogu passed with 78 votes in favour the Resolution of the Riigikogu “Amendment of the Resolution of the Riigikogu “Appointment of Members of the Supervisory Board of the Estonian Development Fund”” (482 OE), submitted by the Economic Affairs Committee, by which Raivo Vare was appointed a member of the board instead of Indrek Neivelt.

 

 

The Biocides Bill (446 SE), initiated by the Government, brings the legislation regulating the marketing and use of biocides into conformity with the European Union law. The purpose of the Bill is to protect human and animal health, environment and property by establishing the relevant requirements for biocides and the marketing and use thereof.

 

The Bill on Amendments to § 23³ of the Land Reform Act (472 SE), initiated by the Environment Committee, extends the current term for approving the list of persons for whose benefit a usufruct on vacant agricultural land is established, which is 1 June 2009, until 1 January 2010.

 

The Riigikogu concluded the first reading of the Bill on Amendments to the Land Tax Act (459 SE), initiated by the Estonian Reform Party Faction, the Social Democratic Party Faction and the Pro Patria and Res Publica Union Faction. The Bill provides that local governments are granted the right to exempt home owners from the obligation to pay land tax. According to the Bill, the local government may exempt a person from the obligation to pay land tax on the residential land in the use of the person to the extent of 0.3 hectares in cities and 1.0 hectares in rural municipalities if the residence of the taxpayer is in a residential building located on such land according to the data on the place of residence entered in the population register and on the condition that the applicant for the tax exemption does not receive rent on the basis of the right of use of land. The Bill harmonises the land tax exemption limits of home owners and pensioners which are provided by legislation such that local governments would also have the right to grant land tax exemption to pensioners on the residential land in their use to the extent of 0.3 hectares in cities. The Bill grants the possibility for local governments to establish land tax rates as differentiated rates according to the categories of the intended use of cadastral units.

 

The Riigikogu Press Service