At today’s sitting, the Riigikogu passed the Act that extends the period of the restriction on access to the information on the manner of the processing of the data of the police database and the technological solutions and security measures of the database.

The purpose of the amendments made under the Act on Amendments to the Police and Border Guard Act (408 SE), initiated by the Government, passed by the Riigikogu, is to extend the period of the restriction on access to the information on the manner of the processing of the data of the police database and the technological solutions and security measures of the database for longer than provided for in the current regulation of the Public Information Act. Currently, the term for the restriction on access to the information is up to five years and it may be extended by up to five years. The Act passed today provides for the possibility to extend the term for the restriction on access to the abovementioned information for a total of 30 years at most in the case when the reason for the establishment of the restriction on access continues to exist.

During the debate, Kert Kingo (Estonian Conservative People’s Party) and Urmas Reinsalu (Isamaa) took the floor.

52 members of the Riigikogu were in favour of passing the Act and 17 voted against.

Two Bills passed the second reading:

The purpose of the Bill on Amendments to the State Export Guarantees Act (423 SE) , initiated by the Government, is to create opportunities to take better account of the needs of Estonian exporters in the provision of credit insurance services guaranteed by state export guarantees and thereby also to encourage export. The motions to amend the State Export Guarantees Act can be divided in two. The majority of the amendments are necessary to create the opportunity to grant state export guarantees also under the credit insurance contracts for short-term transactions that specify an insured person other than the guarantee holder. In addition, the amount of state export guarantees valid at the same time will be increased from the current 191,734,949 euro to 400,000,000 euro.

According to the Bill on Amendments to the Maritime Safety Act (470 SE), initiated by the Government, documents proving qualifications issued in EU Member States and third countries will begin to be recognised on vessels operating in Estonian inland waters. The Bill will transpose a relevant EU directive harmonising the requirements for the training and professional qualifications of crew members working on inland waterway vessels. Diplomas and professional certificates valid nationally will continue to be issued pursuant to the current procedure as no transportation of goods is carried out on Estonian navigable inland waterways. Nor does Estonia have inland waterways that would allow cross-border transport or passenger transport with another EU Member State. The directive does not apply to the activities of leisure, sports, fishing, research and the performance of public administration functions.

During the debate, Peeter Ernits (Estonian Conservative People’s Party), Aivar Kokk (Isamaa), Tarmo Kruusimäe (Isamaa) and Urmas Reinsalu (Isamaa) took the floor.

Three Bills passed the first reading:

Under the Bill on Amendments to the Traffic Act (433 SE), initiated by the Social Democratic Party Faction and Member of the Riigikogu Raimond Kaljulaid, in the interests of the road safety of pedestrians, the speed limit for personal light electric vehicles will be restricted on some roads, and local governments will be given the right to apply additional restrictions where necessary. The Bill will establish a speed limit of 10 km/h for personal light electric vehicles and light mopeds for movement on footpaths and pavements to improve road safety. The current speed limit of 25 km/h will remain in place for riding on cycle lanes, on cycle tracks, close to the right edge of the carriageway and on the shoulder. The speed limit of 25 km/h will also remain in place while riding on cycle and pedestrian tracks, but local governments will be given the right to reduce the maximum speed limit for personal light electric vehicles depending on the traffic and road conditions and safety.

With the Public Health Bill (486 SE), initiated by the Government, a new consolidated text of the Public Health Act is presented, which will replace the text of the current Public Health Act.

The Bill provides for a comprehensive public health measures system. The tasks of the area of government of ministries, including the Ministry of Social Affairs, in organising public health will be updated and amended. The tasks of local governments in the implementation of public health measures will be set out more clearly. The Bill will strengthen the role of various parties in assessing what impact their activities and decisions have on population health.

The Bill will also update the health protection, including catering, requirements in place for preschool child care institutions, schools and social service providers. Among other things, the role of head of school in creating an environment encouraging healthy eating will be increased, and the heads of schools will be given the task to establish the requirements for and restrictions on the food offered for sale in educational institutions. The Bill will also amend the Social Welfare Act in order that it would be unambiguously understandable to which social services the health protection requirements established under the Public Health Act apply.

The Bill will prohibit the provision of the tanning and tattooing service to under 18-year-olds as well as update the requirements in place for other beauty and personal services. According to the explanatory memorandum, the WHO includes tanning devices in its list of group 1 carcinogens, which means that their connection to developing cancer has been scientifically proven. Tattooing also entails several health risks that arise from the dyes used in tattooing.

The Bill will also amend the Advertising Act and the Consumer Protection Act in order to extend the supervision competence of the Health Board and to give the Board the right and obligation to exercise supervision over the commercial practices relating to products and services, including the legitimacy of advertising. The Bill will also update the maximum fine and penalty payment rates in order that they would be sufficiently effective.

During the debate, Mart Helme (Estonian Conservative People’s Party), Helir-Valdor Seeder (Isamaa) and Riina Sikkut (Social Democratic Party) took the floor.

The Estonian Conservative People’s Party Faction and the Faction Isamaa moved to reject the Bill at the first reading. 28 members of the Riigikogu were in favour of the motion and 49 were against.

The Bill on Amendments to the Road Transport Act and Amendments to Other Associated Acts (490 SE), initiated by the Government, will bring the Road Transport Act, the Working Conditions of Employees Posted to Estonia Act and other Acts into conformity with the directives and directly applicable regulations of the European Union road package. The aim of the road package is to ensure adequate working conditions and social protection for drivers and the conditions for fair competition for road transport operators.

In international road transport for hire or reward, motor vehicles and combinations of vehicles with a permissible laden mass exceeding 2.5 tonnes but not exceeding 3.5 tonnes will also be subject to Community licence requirement. In order to obtain a licence, the carrier has to have, among other things, a transport manager who has completed the necessary training and is responsible for the road transport activities organised at the carrier. For the transposition of the directive, it will be necessary to establish implementing provisions extending the requirements of the Posted Workers Directive to the road transport sector. Therefore, in the future, drivers engaged in road transport in other countries will have to be paid remuneration at least in the amount of the minimum remuneration in the country where the posting takes place, including overtime remuneration, etc. This will apply in cases when, by agreement of the parties, remuneration is paid in the minimum amount, and the minimum remuneration in the country where the posting takes place is higher than the minimum remuneration in the driver’s home country.

Verbatim record of the sitting (in Estonian)

The video recording of the sitting will be available on the Riigikogu YouTube channel.
(Please note that the recording will be uploaded with a delay.)

Riigikogu Press Service
Veiko Pesur
Phone: +372 631 6353, +372 5559 0595
E-mail: [email protected]
Questions: [email protected]