The Civil Status Acts Act (68 SE), initiated by the Government, which provides that prospective spouses choose their marital property relationship upon signing the application for marriage and indicate in their application which regulation arising from the Family Law Act they wish to be applied to the proprietary relations between them – joint property, accretion set-off or separate property, was passed with 76 votes in favour (1 abstention). At the same time, upon acceptance of their declaration of intention, the registry official is required to explain the characteristics and legal consequences of different proprietary relationships to the persons who wish to marry.

 

The Act on Amendments to § 27 and § 34 of the State Assets Act (329 SE), initiated by the Government, which enables local governments to acquire residential land on more favourable conditions than the market price in order to encourage people to take up residence in a rural municipality or a city, was passed with 75 votes in favour. In view of sustainability of local life, young families are the main target group of the Act.

 

The Act on Amendments to the Planning Act and Other Associated Acts (410 SE), initiated by the Government, which precludes different interpretations and ensures enhanced involvement of people in the planning process, was passed with 69 votes in favour (1 abstention). According to the Act, the local government will involve a person concerned in the preparation of a detailed plan and will notify the person thereof at the earliest possibility. Persons concerned are, among others, owners of the immovables neighbouring on the planning area. The Act establishes stricter procedural rules for detailed plans in the cases when significant public interests and values are involved in the planning area.

 

The Consular Act (378 SE), initiated by the Government, which updates the structure and contents of the training of consular officers, was passed with 75 votes in favour. The Act brings the authority and the provisions concerning the activities of honorary consuls into conformity with the needs, amends the consular acts of consular officers and honorary consuls and introduces the possibility to issue visas pursuant to representation agreements. The Act improves availability of consular assistance for Estonian citizens as well as aliens who, for the purposes of the Consular Act, are persons who hold a valid residence permit or have permanent right of residence in Estonia and to whom an Estonian alien’s passport has been issued on the basis of the Identity Documents Act.

 

The Act on Ratification of the Additional Protocol to the Convention for the Protection of Individuals with regard to Automatic Processing of Personal Data (442 SE), initiated by the Government, which provides the obligations of the Parties to ensure independence of the activities of supervisory authorities (i.e. the Data Protection Inspectorate), was passed with 62 votes in favour. It also establishes the requirements for transborder flows of personal data to a recipient which is not subject to the jurisdiction of a Party to the Convention. By ratification of the additional Protocol, the state expresses its willingness to commit to the abovementioned obligations also through international law.

 

 

The Family Law Bill (55 SE), initiated by the Government, which no longer prescribes one specific proprietary relationship to spouses but provides a choice of three proprietary relationships (joint property, accretion set-off or separate property) instead. In comparison to other proprietary relationships, joint property is somewhat preferred insofar as the amendments of the Bill provide that the joint property regulation is applied in the case when spouses have not chosen another proprietary relationship.

 

The Bill on Amendments to the Hunting Act and Other Associated Acts (458 SE), initiated by the Environmental Committee, eliminates from the Hunting Act the requirement of the minimum amount of hunting grounds given to the disposal of the state, specifies the conditions for application for the permit in proof of the right to use a hunting district and provides the right of the Minister of the Environment to delegate the organisational and executive functions related to hunting activities to the third sector.

 

The Bill on Amendments to the Law of Property Act, the Aviation Act and the Code of Civil Procedure and Other Associated Acts (456 SE), initiated by the Government, regulates encumbering of objects with a registered security over movables. The gap in the Estonian law as regards establishing of the registered security over movables on aircraft is also eliminated.

 

The Bill on Amendments to the Health Care Services Organisation Act and Associated Acts (452 SE), initiated by the Government, grants midwives the right to provide midwifery care independently and liquidates the current restriction on the activities of midwives. Also, midwives are granted the right to issue the certificate for sick leave concerning taking of the maternity leave and temporary easement of working conditions (conditions of service) or transfer to another job (position) during pregnancy.

 

 

The Bill on Amendments to the Structural Assistance for the Period of 2007-2013 Act (489 SE), initiated by the Government;

 

the Bill on Amendments to the Defence Forces Service Act and Other Acts (486 SE), initiated by the Government;

 

the Bill on Ratification of the Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Estonia and the Government of the United States of America for Scientific and Technological Cooperation (480 SE), initiated by the Government;

 

the Bill on Amendments to the Vocational Educational Institutions Act and the Study Allowances and Study Loans Act (490 SE), initiated by the Government;

 

the Bill on Amendments to the Universities Act, the Research and Development Organisation Act, the National Library of Estonia Act, the Private Schools Act and the Institutions of Professional Higher Education Act (493 SE), initiated by the Government;

 

the Bill on Amendments to the Radiation Act (485 SE), initiated by the Government.

 

At Question Time, Prime Minister Andrus Ansip answered questions about the political and economic situation of the state. The Minister of Defence Jaak Aaviksoo answered questions about the defence capability of the state and the monument of the War of Independence. The Minister of Economic Affairs and Communications Juhan Parts answered questions about the economy development strategy and the problems of apartment associations.

 

The Riigikogu Press Service