Riigikogu passed Act on Amendments to the Medicinal Products Act
On Wednesday, the Riigikogu passed the Act on Amendments to the Medicinal Products Act (532 SE). 85 members of the Riigikogu voted in favour, nobody was against and nobody abstained. The Act transposes the relevant European Union Directive for better protection of public health. The pharmacovigilance system and the requirements for the functioning of the risk-management system for authorised medicinal products are harmonised. The rules for ascertaining pharmacovigilance risk signs and for the implementation of urgent measures are specified. The Act harmonises the activities carried out in member states of the European Economic Area and the decision-making process in ensuring pharmacovigilance.
The Riigikogu passed the Act on Amendments to the Social Welfare Act, the Labour Market Services and Benefits Act and the Social Benefits for Disabled Persons Act (471 SE). 81 members of the Riigikogu voted in favour, nobody was against and two members abstained. The Act eliminates the bottlenecks in the content and organisation of special welfare services for persons with special psychological needs which are financed from the state budget, including the organisation of waiting lists. The regulation concerning the provision of special welfare services will become more understandable to the persons who receive the service, the service providers as well as the Social Insurance Board which is the agency that prescribes special welfare services, enters into contracts under public law and exercises supervision.
The Bill on Amendments to the Commercial Code and Amendments to Other Associated Acts (549 SE) passed the second reading. The Bill provides for simplified winding up of private limited liability companies and public limited liability companies. The Bill on Amendments to the Alcohol, Tobacco, Fuel and Electricity Excise Duty Act and the Liquid Fuel Act (491 SE) also passed the second reading. The purpose of the Bill is to provide taxes on fuels, including liquid combustible substance, according to the purpose of use. For this purpose, the rights of the tax authority are extended so that it would be possible to seize fuel and ask for an excise security, as necessary. A wider purpose is to ensure equal competition for all fuel market participants and increase tax receipt.
The Bill on Implementation of the Building Code and the Planning Act (572 SE) passed the first reading. When presenting the Bill, the Minister of Justice Hanno Pevkur said that the Act implementing two Acts is needed primarily in the interests of clarity and understandability. 25 March was set as the deadline for submission of motions to amend, and the Economic Affairs Committee is the leading committee.
The Maritime Labour Bill (552 SE) also passed the first reading. The Minister of Social Affairs Taavi Rõivas who presented the Bill said that the Act would increase the employment protection of those crew members who so far have worked without a seafarers’ employment agreement. The Bill also specifies for example the issues relating to the payment of remuneration and working language, the provision of medical care on board ship and the accommodation of crews. At the plenary assembly, 12 March was set as the deadline for submission of motions to amend, and the Legal Affairs Committee is the leading committee.
The verbatim record of the sitting (in Estonian).
