Madis Timpson

Law on amending the Penal Code, Criminal Procedure Code and Misdemeanor Procedure Code

Estonia · Riigikogu · 1 June 2026

With the amendment to the law, the chapter on crimes against the environment of the Penal Code and the section on crimes related to ionizing radiation will be brought into line with the European Union (hereinafter also EU) directive on environmental crimes supplemented and updated - Directive (EU) 2024/1203 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 April 2024, which deals with the protection of the environment through criminal law and which replaces Directives 2008/99/EC and 2009/123/EC (OJ L 2024/1203, 30.04.2024, pages 1–28). The purpose of the bill is to ensure a high level of protection of the environment, including natural resources, fauna and flora, and improvement of the quality of the environment by means of penal intervention. The spectrum, prevalence and 'profitability' of environmental crime has increased over the years and this has necessitated a new and updated directive. The 2024 directive provides for the addition of such environmental crimes and a specified list. New in the list is, for example, violation of the requirements for the use of alien species that threaten the natural balance, their distribution or cultivation, if this significantly endangers local species or otherwise significantly damages the balance of the ecosystem. Also a new provision is the illegal handling of fluorinated greenhouse gases, e.g. the illegal import of refrigerants, which leads to significant environmental damage or the threat thereof. from the 2008 directive and other EU environmental legislation, Estonia's current penal law is already partially in line with the 2024 directive. This bill foresees the necessary additions and amendments to the law in order to bring the existing law into line with the 2024 directive as well.

The Act on Amendments to the Code of Enforcement Procedures and Amendments to Other Acts Related to It

Estonia · Riigikogu · 21 May 2026

The purpose of the bill is to make the enforcement procedure more efficient, clearer and more uniform and to reduce disputes between the parties to the procedure. They also want to ensure the sustainability of bailiffs' activities in situations where the collection of enforcement costs has been insufficiently regulated so far. With the changes, the procedure for processing complaints against the bailiff's activities is organized in order to make the use of the right of appeal faster and clearer for both debtors and for bailiffs. The procedure for the continuation of enforcement proceedings after the death of the debtor will also be improved, as the current regulation has not been effective enough and the proceedings have often stalled due to the passivity of the parties. The purpose of the changes is to speed up the identification of heirs or to enable the termination of inactive proceedings within a reasonable time. The bailiff is also given the opportunity to temporarily restrict access to information in justified cases about inquiries made in enforcement proceedings, in order to avoid obstructing the proceedings or concealing assets before delivery of the enforcement notice. The bill clarifies the rules for bearing the costs of enforcement proceedings in various situations, including bankruptcy proceedings, merger with compulsory enforcement and cancellation of the enforcement document or termination of the claim. In addition, a clearer procedure will be established for costs incurred in the event of the expiration of claims arising from misdemeanor and criminal cases to carry in order to reduce the debt burden of debtors. The principles of remuneration for the collection of alimony will also be changed with the aim of improving the collection of alimony. The supervision authority of the Chamber of Bailiffs and Bankruptcy Administrators over the activities of bailiffs will also be strengthened, and the Board of the Chamber will be given additional opportunities to develop a uniform and legitimate practice. The bill affects debtors, debt collectors and heirs differently. Although in some proceedings the initial administrative burden may increase, clearer rules and a lower number of disputes should simplify the procedures and reduce the burden in the long run.

Act to amend the Public Prosecutor's Office Act

Estonia · Riigikogu · 11 May 2026

The purpose of the changes is to improve internal control and responsibility in the prosecution of state prosecutions, to update and make more flexible the work organization of the prosecutor's office, to ensure better opportunities for the state prosecutor to improve the qualifications and professionalism of prosecutors, and to make the management and career system more transparent. The bill limits the right of prosecutors to submit cassation appeals and increases the powers of the chief prosecutor and responsibility of the state prosecutor general, obliging them to assess the justification of the cassation appeal and to give their approval to it. The conditions for transferring the proceedings of a criminal case from one prosecutor to another will also be simplified. The prosecutors' competition committee is given the competence to check the compliance of prosecutors with the requirements applicable to the position, in case of non-compliance, it is possible to dismiss the prosecutor. Longer ones are imposed on prosecutors probationary periods – one year for assistant prosecutors, two years for district and state prosecutors. The term of office of senior prosecutors and leading state prosecutors will be changed to five years. The term of office of the State Prosecutor General will be changed to 7 years, without the possibility of appointing him for a second consecutive term in order to ensure his political independence throughout his term. Establishment of district prosecutor's offices, as well as the working areas of prosecutors will be made more flexible. In the future, the authority to establish the location and work area rests with the responsible minister.

Law amending the law on law enforcement and consequently amending other laws (role division of monitoring and control of unmanned vehicles)

Estonia · Riigikogu · 4 May 2026

The purpose of the law is to expand the monitoring and control capabilities of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in peacetime. Create an opportunity for the Defense Forces to better identify and repel military drones and to actively participate in the monitoring and control of law enforcement threats, the Police and Border Guard Board to more effectively prevent crime and protect people's lives and health, as well as respond to risks arising from new drone threats. In addition, the bill is issued better opportunities for the owners of national defense facilities, especially for companies providing key vital services, to protect their infrastructure.

Act amending the Code of Civil Procedure and the Law of Obligations Act (transposition of the Directive on Protection against Silence Actions)

Estonia · Riigikogu · 6 April 2026

The purpose of the bill is to transpose the EU directive on the protection of persons participating in public life against manifestly unjustified claims or abusive legal proceedings (strategic actions against participation in public life), and to give courts and defendants tools to combat abusive legal proceedings and manifestly unjustified actions. The broader purpose of such procedural changes is to ensure freedom of expression and protect the right to participate in democratic debate. Also, the goals of the changes are to prevent the abuse of procedural rights and the efficiency of court proceedings and procedural economy. At the same time, it should be noted that a silence action is not always easily distinguishable from, for example, actions for non-pecuniary damage, which deal with the publication of incorrect factual statements and inappropriate value assessments. Implementation of the norms created by the transposition of the directive must not lead to the prevention and discouragement of turning to court for the protection of rights for those persons about whom incorrect factual statements or inappropriate value assessments have been published.

Riigikogu decision "Appointment of members of the parliamentary joint control working group that controls the activities of the European Union Law Enforcement Cooperation Agency"

Estonia · Riigikogu · 27 January 2026

The European Parliament controls the activities of Europol in cooperation with the parliaments of the member states, based on Article 88 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union. For this purpose, a parliamentary joint control working group has been established by the parliaments of the EU member states and the competent committee of the European Parliament. The purpose of the draft decision is to appoint members of the Riigikogu, Anti Haugas and Andre Hanimägi, as members of the parliamentary joint control working group that monitors Europol's activities.

Penal Code Amendment Act

Estonia · Riigikogu · 19 January 2026

The bill adds § 289. Abuse of office and § 290. Professional negligence to the Penal Code.

In connection with the changes to the Elron timetable, which harms the movement possibilities of Viljandimaa residents

Estonia · Riigikogu · 24 November 2025

Law on amending the Code of Enforcement Procedure and the Code of Civil Procedure and the Implementation Act of the Code of Enforcement Procedure

Estonia · Riigikogu · 22 September 2025

The proposed changes in the bill will increase the transparency of requests made through the enforcement register, allowing individuals to get a better overview of the requests made about them than before. Currently, people do not have the opportunity to see which public authorities or other persons named in the law have made inquiries about them through the enforcement register to banks and payment institutions. The execution register functions only as an information intermediary channel and does not record content of requests. Although the law gives people the right to know how their personal data is being used, there is currently no technical solution that would allow this information to be easily displayed. To this end, the draft stipulates the obligation that users who join the enforcement register must also interface with a technical solution (so-called data tracker) before joining the register, which allows to display information about the requests made about the person to the person, and to make the information available about the inquiries made. Exceptions are cases where the requester can provide the data subject with information about data processing at a later date, restrict its provision or refuse to issue it, in cases provided for by law. The corresponding obligation also applies to previously joined institutions and persons, including the Chamber of Bailiffs and Bankruptcy Administrators (chamber). The draft also updates the databases in the enforcement procedure code for the sake of legal clarity regulation by providing the categories of personal data to be processed in databases at the level of the law, the maximum period of data storage and the framework for establishing the bylaws more clearly in the authorization norm.

Penal Code Amendment Act (Consent-Based Treatment of Sexual Violence)

Estonia · Riigikogu · 22 September 2025

The purpose of the bill is to switch to a consent-based approach in the case of sexual crimes and to bring the provisions of the Penal Code into line with the Istanbul Convention. The regulation on sexual violence is changed so that sexual activity without consent is punishable.

Law on Supplementing the Police and Border Guard Law

Estonia · Riigikogu · 4 June 2025

Eelnõuga lisatakse politsei-ja piirivalve seadusesse (PPVS) uus säte, millega luuakse õiguslik alus politsei numbrituvastuskaameratega jäädvustatud andmete salvestamiseks ja kasutamiseks.

Penal Code and Criminal Procedure Code Amendment Act (Criminal Jurisdiction and Demolition of Subsea Infrastructure)

Estonia · Riigikogu · 19 May 2025

The bill expands the validity of Estonian criminal law and increases liability for damage to undersea energy and communication infrastructure. The purpose of the changes is to better ensure national security, better protection of infrastructure important to the country and a more effective fight against hybrid attacks than before.

The Act on Amendments to the Employment Contract Act and Other Acts

Estonia · Riigikogu · 24 March 2025

The bill creates an opportunity for employers and employees to enter into flexible working time agreements. A flexible working time agreement allows the employee to work additional hours in addition to the agreed working hours, if desired, until the full working time norm is met. The conditions that must be fulfilled in order to conclude a flexible working time agreement are stipulated, for example, a written form, the employee's hourly wage is at least 1.2 times the minimum hourly wage, working hours are at least 10 hours in a 7-day during the period etc. The changes make it possible to provide both the employer and the employee with a more flexible work arrangement than before and for them to cope better in conditions where the employer's workload and labor needs fluctuate and the employee's ability and willingness to perform work varies from period to period. An important goal is to reduce the desire of employers to enter into other contractual agreements in addition to the employment contract, such as an employment contract or agency contract, which do not guarantee employees adequate social guarantees and necessary occupational protection.

An Act to amend the Family Benefits Act and other Acts

Estonia · Riigikogu · 2 December 2024

The draft creates a new single breadwinner allowance scheme for children who have lost a parent, which guarantees monthly allowance, regardless of the deceased parent's retirement age or the number of children. The explanatory letter states that according to the current rules, the survivor's pension paid to children varies in size and in many cases does not sufficiently cover the costs of supporting children. Families with children are in a particularly vulnerable situation.   The new basic amount of support is 272 euros, which is indexed every year according to the increase in the cost of living, i.e. according to current forecasts, the amount of support to be paid out would be approximately 345 euros in 2026. The allowance for the loss of a breadwinner will significantly reduce the risk of poverty in single-parent households and support families with children. The needs of a bereaved child are the same regardless of how long the parent was able to work before death. Uniform and indexed support improves the child's well-being and ensures it long-term confidence. The existing survivor's pension scheme for children will be replaced from October 1, 2026 by a support created on the basis of the new Family Benefits Act. The survivor's allowance is paid until the child turns 19 or, if studies continue, until the child turns 21. Children who already receive a survivor's pension when the bill enters into force, and whose survivor's pension was less than or equal to the survivor's allowance, will in the future receive support in the amount of survivor's allowance. In the event that the determined survivor's pension was greater than the amount of the survivor's allowance, in the future they will receive support in the amount of the survivor's pension until it equals the amount of the survivor's allowance.   The size of the support created takes into account the cost of maintaining a child, the change in the consumer price index and the change in the average gross monthly salary in Estonia - as a result of annual indexing, the real value of the support is preserved over time. Getting support the circle of educational institutions that enable it is wider than the survivor's pension, and it is also possible to receive the survivor's allowance at the same time as the work capacity allowance. Loss of breadwinner allowance guarantees 90% of recipients more support than before.  From October 1, 2026, new survivor's pensions will no longer be granted to those aged 21 and older based on the State Pension Insurance Act (except survivor's pensions based on special laws).  For people aged 24 and over who developed entitled to a survivor's or national pension before October 1, 2026, the pension will continue to be paid until the previously determined term (e.g. if the payment is related to the loss of working capacity, then until the end of this period). Expectant women who do not work and whose child's second parent is dead have the opportunity to receive parental benefit 70 calendar days before the expected date of birth of the child.

Act amending the State Tax Act and the Act on Narcotic and Psychotropic Substances and Their Precursors

Estonia · Riigikogu · 23 September 2024

The bill provides for an increase in state fees for the administrative area of ​​the Ministry of Social Affairs, so that they correspond to the increased procedural costs. The fee increase mainly concerns health and social service providers who apply for an activity license. The new state fees are estimated to cover up to 45% of the procedural costs, the remaining costs are covered from the budget of the institutions. This helps ensure the continuity and quality of public services. For example, the activity license for the provision of social services will increase fee from 32 euros to 100 euros. The state fee for the activity license for the production of medicines will rise from EUR 1,000 to EUR 2,500, the state fee for the activity permit for the wholesale sale of medicines will rise from EUR 1,000 to EUR 2,000. In the latter, the stamp duty rate has remained unchanged for eight years and currently covers a small part of the actual cost of the review. Since applications and changes to activity licenses are not made on a large scale, and they are often one-off, the increase in state fees is not a problem for companies and too burdensome for service providers. By 2025, the increase in state fee revenues is estimated by approx. 139,000 euros.

Act on Amendments to the Social Welfare Act and the Health Services Organization Act (independent nursing assistance in the provision of 24-hour special care services)

Estonia · Riigikogu · 16 September 2024

The bill changes the way independent nursing care provided in a 24-hour special care service is organized and financed. The description of nursing care activities will be updated for a more uniform and better quality of the service, which also better connects this service with our healthcare system. The 24/7 special nursing care service is currently financed through the Social Insurance Board. According to the bill, it will be taken over by the Health Fund. Around the clock special care service is round-the-clock care and development of adults with accommodation and catering.

Law on the Ratification of the International Labor Organization (ILO) Convention on the Elimination of Violence and Harassment in the World of Work (No. 190)

Estonia · Riigikogu · 15 July 2024

The bill ratifies the International Labor Organization (ILO) Convention on the Elimination of Violence and Harassment in the World of Work, which aims to reduce violence and harassment in the world of work. It is the first international document to establish globally applicable concrete standards for the prevention of work-related harassment and violence and measures to be adopted by States and other relevant participants are expected.

Act on Amendments to the Medicines Act and the Health Services Organization Act

Estonia · Riigikogu · 11 June 2024

The purpose of the changes in the bill is to transfer the formation, management, renewal and commissioning of the state's healthcare stock from the Health Board to regional hospitals with state participation. Organizing the storage of the state's healthcare stock at regional hospitals makes it possible to spread out the location of stocks and to reduce or avoid the costs arising from their obsolescence when medicines and equipment are rotated. The location of supplies at regional hospitals makes it easier for them introduction, because in a crisis situation, the treatment load is presumably the highest in those hospitals that will keep stocks according to the planned changes. Regional hospitals are suitable for inventory management because they have professionals with the necessary experience. The reserve formed for the needs of the health care sector, which is part of the state operational reserve (state health reserve) helps ensure the availability of medicines and medical equipment and the continuity of health care in a threatening situation, an emergency situation, a special situation, a state of emergency, a state of heightened defense readiness and a state of war, when the operational resources of hospital and ambulance brigade operators are exhausted.