At the plenary sitting, the Riigikogu concluded the second reading of the Bill to amend the European Union Common Agricultural Policy Implementation Act and the Feed Act.

The Bill on Amendments to the European Union Common Agricultural Policy Implementation Act and the Feed Act (546 SE), initiated by the Government, is intended to bring the Act into conformity with European Union legislation and to solve problems that have arisen in practice.

A social conditionality system will be established for farms and farmers which will link area- and animal-based payments to the compliance with the working and employment conditions and employer obligations. Amendments will also be made in the measures for the common organisation of the markets in agricultural products that concern school schemes, quality and composition requirements, and the implementation of marketing standards. In the future, the Minister will be able to establish the more specific conditions for granting school scheme aid by a regulation.

The Bill also provides for measures to strengthen the protection of geographical indications.

Arvo Aller and Rain Epler from the Estonian Conservative People’s Party Group, Urmas Kruuse from the Estonian Reform Party Group and Aivar Kokk from Isamaa Parliamentary Group took the floor during the debate.

The Estonian Conservative People’s Party Faction moved to suspend the second reading of the Bill. 18 members of the Riigikogu voted in favour of the motion and 49 were against. Thus, the motion was not supported, and the second reading was concluded.

Riigikogu rejected a draft Resolution

The Riigikogu rejected the Draft Resolution of the Riigikogu “Making a Proposal to the Government of the Republic to procure EUR 1.6 billion worth of ammunition in 2025–2028” (540 OE),  submitted by Isamaa Parliamentary Group. It was intended to make a proposal to the Government to procure at least EUR 1.6 billion worth of ammunition by 2028. As a motivation, the authors of the draft referred to the need to organize the military defence of Estonia and the advice of the commanders of the Estonian Defence Forces to acquire the essential amount of ammunition.

The draft Resolution was also intended to make a proposal to the Government to hold negotiations with the European Commission to use part of the 2021–2027 funds earmarked for Estonia in the multi-annual budgetary plan of the European Union and the proceeds from pollution trading for one-off national defence investments. It was also intended to propose that a national defence loan through the issuance of national defence bonds could be considered to finance the implementation of the ammunition procurement plan.

During the debate, Raimond Kaljulaid took the floor on behalf of the Social Democratic Party Group, Anti Poolamets on behalf of the Estonian Conservative People’s Party Group, Kalev Stoicescu on behalf of Estonia 200 Parliamentary Group, Priit Sibul on behalf of Isamaa Parliamentary Group and Kristo Enn Vaga on behalf of the Estonian Reform Party Parliamentary Group.

In the vote, 20 members of the Riigikogu supported the passing of the draft Resolution. A majority vote of the membership of the Riigikogu would have been needed for the draft Resolution to be passed.

The deliberation of a Bill was adjourned

Due to the end of the working hours of the plenary sitting, the first reading of the Bill on the Repeal of the Motor Vehicle Tax Act (538 SE), initiated by Isamaa Parliamentary Group, was adjourned and will continue at tomorrow’s sitting. The Bill is intended to repeal the Motor Vehicle Tax Act that was passed on 29 July last year and entered into force on 1 January this year.

The first reading of the Bill on Amendments to the Value-Added Tax Act (539 SE), initiated by the Estonian Conservative People’s Party Group, was also transferred to the agenda for the sitting on Wednesday due to the end of the working hours of the sitting.

Verbatim record of the sitting (in Estonian)

Video recording will be available to watch later on the Riigikogu YouTube channel.

Riigikogu Press Service
Merilin Kruuse
+372 631 6592; +372 510 6179
[email protected]
Questions: [email protected]

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