The Act on Amendments to the Labour Market Services and Benefits Act and Associated Acts (399 SE), initiated by the Government, which provides the merger of the Unemployment Insurance Fund and the Labour Market Board, was passed with 56 votes in favour (28 votes against). The name of the merged agency will be the Estonian Unemployment Insurance Fund. The purpose of the Act is to improve the quality of employment services and to ensure the situation in which both active and passive labour market measures are provided in the same agency. The Act does not amend the principles of the provision of employment services or the payment of labour market supports and the payment of benefits on the basis of the Unemployment Insurance Act. The Act is based on the agreement made between the state and the social partners on 28 April 2008 in the preparation of the Employment Contracts Bill which set out the decision to reorganise labour market institutions. 

The Act on Amendments to the Investment Funds Act, the Securities Market Act, the Commercial Code and the Estonian Central Register of Securities Act (376 SE), initiated by the Government, which specifies the asset objects in which the funds of investment funds may be invested, pursuant to the relevant European Commission Directive, was passed with 80 votes in favour. The procedure for the information concerning investment funds which is subject to disclosure and the advertisement of investment funds is also amended. By way of a technical amendment, the method of calculating owner’s equity of management companies was specified. In the Securities Market Act, the capital requirements and own funds regime of investment firms and the procedure for takeover bids of companies admitted for trading on a regulated securities market were specified. The amendments to the Commercial Code and the Estonian Central Register of Securities Act enable publicly traded companies to organise new or additional share emissions on more flexible conditions. 

The Act on Amendments to the Organic Farming Act and the State Fees Act (390 SE), initiated by the Government, which enhances the state supervision of the persons engaging in organic farming, was passed with 76 votes in favour. The spheres monitored by supervisory authorities are distinguished more clearly. The issuing of certifying documents to the persons engaging in organic farming will simplify the monitoring of the legality of labelling with a reference to organic production methods. This would increase the credibility of organic products among customers and the demand for organic products. 

The Act on Amendments to the Sustainable Development Act (358 SE), initiated by the Estonian Reform Party Faction, which adds provisions to the Act for ensuring the legal sphere necessary for biosphere reserves, was passed with 71 votes in favour. According to the Act, a biosphere programme area is an area included in the UNESCO MAB (Man and Biosphere) Programme in order to organise education, monitoring and research activities, and to integrate the protection and sustainable use of natural resources. The objective of the implementation of the Programme is to support sustainable development in local governments, and to work through technologies and approaches in the new energy-economic situation of the 21st century.

The Act on Ratification of the Instruments of Amendment of 2006 of the Constitution and the Convention of the International Telecommunication Union (371 SE), initiated by the Government, by which Estonia officially approves the amendments to the Constitution and the Convention of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), was passed with 61 votes in favour. The amendments to the Constitution and the Convention are documents concerning the organisation of the work of the ITU and these amendments involve no additional obligations for Member States. The purpose of the amendments is to update and improve the working process of the ITU. 

The Riigikogu concluded the second reading: 

The Riigikogu concluded the second reading of the Bill on Amendments to the Non-profit Associations Act, the Foundations Act, the Commercial Associations Act and the Commercial Code and Other Associated Acts (271 SE), initiated by the Government. The Bill specifies the competence and thereby also the liability of management bodies of legal persons and members thereof, and the issues relating to nullity and repeal of the resolutions of a body of a legal person. 

The Riigikogu concluded the first reading of three Bills: 

The Bill on Amendments to the State Budget Act, the Participation in Legal Persons in Private Law by the State Act and the Riigikogu Rules of Procedure and Internal Rules Act (402 SE), initiated by the Government, the purpose of which is to enable the Estonian state to be more efficiently prepared to fight financial crises. The passing of the Act will assure depositors and other creditors, credit institutions and the whole Estonian financial system that the state is ready to intervene efficiently, if necessary, in order to ensure financial stability. In addition, the Bill provides that the stabilisation reserve funds may also be used for the prevention or resolution of financial crises. The Estonian Centre Party Faction moved to reject the Bill at the first reading. The result of voting: 22 votes in favour, 34 against. The motion was not supported.

The Draft Resolution of the Riigikogu “Use of the Estonian Defence Forces in the Performance of the International Duties of the Estonian State in the Composition of the 12th Rotation of the NATO Response Force” (408 OE), initiated by the Government, which allows 15 members of the Estonian Defence Forces to participate, for the purpose of maintaining or restoring the peace and security, in the performance of military operations as provided in the UN Charter in the composition of NATO Response Force until 31 December this year.  

The Bill on Amendments to the Building Act (389 SE), initiated by the Government, which specifies the data and the procedure for issuing the documents regulating construction activities which are issued by the local government (written consent, building permit and permit for use of construction works), by providing several requirements and conditions relating to the construction and use of construction works. 

At Question Time, the Minister of Agriculture Helir-Valdor Seeder answered the question about agricultural policy, submitted by Arvo Sarapuu, and the question about the information brochure “Wise Choice”, submitted by Toomas Trapido. The Minister for Population and Ethnic Affairs Urve Palo answered the question about population and family policy, submitted by Mai Treial. The Minister of Justice Rein Lang answered the question about the final report of the Government’s so-called Estonia Committee, submitted by Evelyn Sepp. 

The Riigikogu Press Service