Riigikogu decided raise of alcohol, tobacco, fuel and electricity excise duty
TheRiigikogu passed with51 votes in favour the Act on Amendments to the Alcohol, Tobacco, Fuel and Electricity Excise Duty Act (585 SE), initiated by the Government. The Act raises excise duty rates of alcohol, tobacco products, fuel and electricity. The alcohol excise duty rate will rise by 10 % as of 1 January 2010. Consequently, the price of half a litre of vodka with an ethanol content of 40 per cent by volume will rise from 80 kroons to circa 85 kroons which means an increase in cost by 6 %. The price of half a litre of beer with an ethanol content of 5 per cent by volume will rise from 12 kroons to 12.24 kroons which means an increase in cost by 2 %, and the price of wine (0.7 litres) will rise from 80 kroons to 80.87 kroons which means an increase in cost by 1 %.
The price of a litre of liquid fuel marked with a fiscal marker will rise by 8.2 % as of 1 January 2010, and the price of a litre of petrol will rise by ca 3% and the price of a litre of diesel fuel will rise by ca 2.9 %. As of 1 March 2010, electricity price will rise by ca 1.6 % for household customers and by ca 2.7 % for eligible customers with an average consumption. The excise duty rate of tobacco products will rise by 20 % as of 1 January 2011. 33 members of the Riigikogu voted against the Act, nobody abstained.
The Police and Border Guard Act Implementation Act (519 SE), initiated by the Government, was passed with 82 votes in favour. The purpose of the Act is to introduce substantial and technical amendments to Acts arising from the Police and Border Guard Act. The Act ensures consistency of the terminology of special Acts and the Police and Border Guard Act. This Act enters into force on 1 January 2010; clauses 48 1), 2), 4) and 7) and § 56¹ of the Act enter into force on the day following publication in the Riigi Teataja and clause 78 6) of the Act enters into force pursuant to general procedure. Nobody voted against the Act and nobody abstained.
The Act on Amendments to the State Budget of 2009 Act (611 SE), initiated by the Government, was passed with 51 votes in favour. The Act introduces amendments to the area of government of the Supreme Court, the Government and ministries. This does not affect the volume of the state budget of 2009. 26 members of the Riigikogu voted against the Act, nobody abstained.
The Act on Amendments to the Income Tax Act and Associated Act (586 SE) and (553 SE),initiated by the Government, the Estonian Centre Party Faction and the Social Democratic Party Faction, was passed with 82 votes in favour. This Act fixes income tax rate to 21 per cent as established for 2009, and basic exemption to 27 000 kroons. The recipient of the dividends may deduct from the income tax payable an amount that equals to 21/79 of the dividends received from resident company, correspondingly to the date on which the tax liability arises. The amendments are necessary for improving the accrual of state budget. This Act enters into force on 1 January 2010. Nobody voted against the Act and nobody abstained.
The Act on Amendments to the Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing Prevention Act and Associated Acts (589 SE), initiated by the Government, was passed with 83 votes in favour. The purpose of this Act is to bring the regulations of the Act into conformity with international standards and ensure improved legal certainty of the activities of the Financial Intelligence Unit and the Financial Supervision Authority. The Act enters into force pursuant to general procedure, clauses 3 2) and 6) enter into force on 1 January 2010 and clauses 3 3) and 7) enter into force on 1 January 2011. Nobody voted against the Act and nobody abstained.
The Resolution on amendments to the Resolution on appointment of members of the supervisory board of the foundation established for the use of the proceeds from environmental exploitation paid into the state budget (628 OE), submitted by the Environmental Committee, was passed with 44 votes in favour. Pursuant to the Resolution, Member of the Riigikogu Toomas Trapido was appointed a member of the supervisory board of the respective foundation instead of Kalvi Kõva. 22 members of the Riigikogu voted against the Resolution, nobody abstained.
On the motion of the Environmental Committee as the leading committee, the first reading of the Bill on Amendments to § 23³ of the Land Reform Act (630 SE), initiated by the same Committee, was concluded. The purpose of the Bill is to change the term for approving the list of persons for whose benefit a usufruct on vacant agricultural land is established. The Bill was sent to the second reading.
The Riigikogu Press Service
