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Articles by Anett Peel
New fee added to packages sent from outside EU from November
"The calculation logic for the handling fee is indeed the same or similar to that of the customs duty on small consignments. The amount of the fee depends on the number of goods lines listed on the declaration. If we take the example of 100 pairs of jeans, which are identical goods, they can be entered on a single goods line on the customs declaration," Kaari Lainevool, service manager at the Tax and Customs Board's customs administration department, explained to ERR.
Novembrist rakendub EL-i välistele väikesaadetistele käitlustasu
"Käitlustasu puhul arvutamise loogika on tõesti samasugune või sarnane nagu väikesaadetiste tollimaksuga. Tasu suurus sõltub deklaratsioonile märgitud kaubaridade arvust. Kui me võtame näite, et sada paari teksapükse ehk need on ühesugused kaubad, siis saab need panna tollideklaratsioonil ühele kaubareale," selgitas maksu- ja tolliameti tollikorralduse osakonna teenusejuht Kaari Lainevool ERR-ile. Kolme euro suurune tollimaks kehtib kuni 150-eurostele saadetistele.
Estonia plans to bring back its blue passports from 2030
Security updates come sooner than that — those on "gray passport"-holders documents in January 2027, with those found on citizens' passports to follow in July. Existing passports remain valid until they expire. The blue passport covers had been in use following the restoration of independence in 1991, but with accession to the EU in 2004 the familiar burgundy colored covers – an EU recommendation but not mandatory – came in.
Ministeerium plaanib Eesti passid taas siniseks teha
Eesti kodaniku pass saab eelnõu järgi 2030. aastast taas sinised kaaned. Juba tuleval aastal uuendatakse aga nii kodaniku kui ka välismaalase passi turvaelemente. Siseminister Igor Taro sõnul tekkis mõte kaante värvi muuta uue passi ettevalmistamisel.
Ministeerium plaanid Eesti passid taas siniseks teha
Eesti kodaniku pass saab eelnõu järgi 2030. aastast taas sinised kaaned. Juba tuleval aastal uuendatakse aga nii kodaniku kui ka välismaalase passi turvaelemente. Siseminister Igor Taro sõnul tekkis mõte kaante värvi muuta uue passi ettevalmistamisel.
Estonian actors protest onslaught of artificial intelligence in new EU rules
Reimo Sagor, head of the Estonian Actors' Union, said the proposed changes would significantly weaken personal data protections and open the door to unchecked AI training on actors' performances. "Our main concern with the digital omnibus package is that it would loosen the requirements governing the processing of personal data, the need for such processing and the obligations of those who process it.
Estonia pushes 112 accessibility deadline to 2027 as service falls short
While Estonia was supposed to meet accessibility requirements by June 2025, the necessary systems still aren't fully in place. Currently, people can contact the Emergency Response Center by voice call or SMS, but neither option works equally for everyone. For example, deaf or hard of hearing people, as well as those who have had a stroke, whose speech is impaired or who cannot safely speak in an emergency may need alternatives such as video calls or real-time text (RTT).
New houses must be more accessible for people with special needs
The goal of the new requirements is to consider people with disabilities, elderly, children, people with strollers and those with temporary health issues more than before when designing buildings. Ivo Jaanisoo, deputy secretary general for living environment and circular economy at the Ministry of Climate, said accessibility must be a basic feature of a building, not a special solution added later.
Jaanuarist peavad uued majad olema erivajadustega inimestele ligipääsetavamad
Uute nõuete eesmärk on arvestada hoonete kavandamisel senisest enam nii puudega inimeste, eakate, laste, lapsevankriga liikujate kui ka ajutise tervisemurega inimestega. Kliimaministeeriumi elukeskkonna ja ringmajanduse asekantsler Ivo Jaanisoo ütles, et ligipääsetavus peab olema hoone algne omadus, mitte hiljem lisatav erilahendus.
Minority government faces strains as parties brace for budget fight
Opposition Social Democratic Party chairman Lauri Läänemets said the Reform Party and Eesti 200's shift to a minority government stemmed from Prime Minister Kristen Michal's strategic decision to remove the Social Democrats from the coalition. Reform Party should not expect support from the Social Democrats for the state budget. "The fact that we now have a government that fell into minority over the summer should not be a surprise. It was long foreseeable.
Board‑game enthusiast says players' personalities emerge clearly at the table
"We play a lot of different games, both board and video games. We meet once a week. I've been involved with the club for a year and a half, and 20–30 people attend the game nights regularly," said Mesila. Popular games include card games, "Catan", and "Scrabble". "More recently also '7 Wonders'. 'Catan' is a tactical game — you need to communicate a lot with other players. It combines luck and social skills. It's my personal favorite," Mesila noted.
Estonian environmental groups say bird‑nesting‑season logging lacks oversight
"Although the Nature Conservation Act unambiguously prohibits the destruction of bird nests, and the Supreme Court has clearly stated that nests may not be destroyed during logging, the Environmental Board apparently allows this to continue," said Kaarel Võhandu, head of the Estonian Ornithological Society. "They have divided forests into red and yellow zones based on bird density. But even in red forests, logging is not unequivocally prohibited.
Expert: Parties should push Estonian presidential race forward
She expects the situation to become clearer in the coming weeks. "Since all parties have clearly said that candidates need to be named during July, taking the initiative was expected. There is nothing surprising about that," Arras said. "We can assume that the picture will become clearer in the next couple of weeks. There is not much time left, considering that the presidential election procedure was changed, which means candidates must be presented earlier and must also speak before Parliament.
Pom-pom hat a good way to defend against seagulls in Estonia
Each spring, people in Tallinn may come across gull chicks that have fallen from rooftops onto city streets. Protecting these chicks is the main reason people end up in conflict with gulls. According to Meelis Uustal, head of the environmental protection department at the Tallinn Environment and Public Works Department, gulls have not become more aggressive in recent years. "This is the same situation we see every spring.
Kajaka rünnaku eest tasub end kaitsta tutimütsiga
Kevadeti võib Tallinna tänavatel kohata kajakapoegi, kes on katustelt alla kukkunud. Just nende kaitsmine on peamine põhjus, miks inimesed kajakatega konflikti satuvad. Tallinna keskkonna- ja kommunaalameti keskkonnahoiu osakonna juhataja Meelis Uustali sõnul ei ole kajakad siiski viimastel aastatel agressiivsemaks muutunud. "Tegemist on ikka igakevadise olukorraga, kus kajakad pesitsevad ja nende pojad võivad aeg-ajalt kukkuda katustelt maha linnatänavale.
Hotels expect clearer rules for accommodation platforms
Data from Statistics Estonia show that nearly 2 million overnight stays were booked through accommodation platforms last year — about a quarter more than before the COVID-19 pandemic. According to Külli Kraner, executive director of the Hotel and Restaurant Association, short-term rentals have long moved beyond the sharing economy. "This has already become an invisible market growing in parallel with the hotel sector. A very large number of these landlords manage multiple apartments.
Volunteer rescuers play growing role in Estonia's crisis preparedness
The Rescue Board says volunteers now contribute to disaster response, prevention work and civil defense as well. Chief volunteer coordinator Margus Möldri said their network already includes thousands of volunteers working for over 100 volunteer rescue brigades across the country, and with their list of responsibilities steadily expanding, the agency is looking to grow its ranks even more. "Today we have over 3,000 volunteers and our network includes 118 volunteer rescue brigades," Möldri said.
Bank of Estonia recommends keeping cash reserve at home
Although most everyday payments in Estonia are already made by card or mobile phone, this does not mean that cash has lost its importance. On the contrary, the Bank of Estonia (Eesti Pank) stresses that being prepared for crises also means having alternative payment options available. According to Rainer Olt, head of the payment and settlement systems department at the central bank, the use of cash has declined but has not disappeared entirely.
Estonia facing shortage of organ donors
Virge Pall, head of the transplant center at Tartu University, said between 50 and 70 transplant surgeries take place every year in Estonia. She said the shortage of donors is a persistent problem. Approximately 58,000 people have signed up to be a donor, which is about 5.5 percent of the adult population. "There could certainly be more," Pall said. People of all ages need transplants, from children to the elderly.
Eestis on puudu elundidoonoritest
Praegu on Eestis ootelehel 80 inimest, kes vajavad elundisiirdamist. Aastas tehakse meie väikeses riigis keskmiselt 50–70 siirdamist, kuid arv sõltub sellest, kui palju sobivaid doonoreid parasjagu tekib. Tartu Ülikooli transplantatsioonikeskuse juht Virge Pall ütles, et puudujääk doonoritest on püsiv probleem. "Doonoreid ei ole kunagi piisavalt. Alati on elundi ootajaid rohkem kui doonoreid ja seda mitte ainult Eestis, vaid üle maailma.
Poll: Driving more popular than public transport
Andres Ruubas, head of the public transport department at the Ministry of Regional Affairs and Agriculture, told ERR the trend has been visible for several years. "The most recent confirmed data are for 2024, and they show that 59.1 percent of commuters now travel to work by car. Before the coronavirus pandemic, it was 57.1 percent.
Study: Every fifth tourist stays in a guest apartment in Estonia
While Estonia is seeing a slight uptick in tourism, hotels and restaurants are struggling and their profitability is declining. Estonian Hotel and Restaurant Association CEO Külli Kraner said she cannot say exactly what the impact of global platforms like Airbnb and Booking.com on the sector is. "This is quite a black box and a gray area for us. We can only estimate. It may vary significantly by region, but it could be somewhere in the range of 25 to 35 percent," she told ERR.
Ministry plans simpler health labeling for food products
Shoppers may have noticed a colored letter system, from A to E, on some food packaging — known as the Nutri-Score, and which provides a quick and simple assessment of a product's overall nutritional value. The system is common in many EU nations including Belgium, the Netherlands, and France. Hellika Kallaste, adviser at the ministry's food safety department, said the intention is to introduce a similar system here in Estonia.
Ministry plans simpler health labeling for food products
Shoppers may have noticed a colored letter system, from A to E, on some food packaging — known as the Nutri-Score, and which provides a quick and simple assessment of a product's overall nutritional value. The system is common in many EU nations including Belgium, the Netherlands, and France. Hellika Kallaste, adviser at the ministry's food safety department, said the intention is to introduce a similar system here in Estonia.
General: Ukraine's successful operation sign of Russian intelligence's weakness
Over the weekend, Ukraine's Security Service (SBU) carried out a major special operation to destroy Russian bomber aircraft. According to the SBU, more than 40 Russian bombers were hit at air force bases located inside Russia. Maj. Gen. Neeme Väli said the operation showed that Ukrainian intelligence is functioning at a very high level. "This demonstrates that the network they have inside Russia enables them to act in this way and carry out such operations.
Higher fine rates fail to daunt speeders in Estonia
At the start of the year, the fine unit rate doubled, rising from €4 to €8. So far this year, around 11,000 misdemeanors have been recorded against speeding drivers. Speed cameras have detected more than 75,000 violations. According to Annika Elmi, group leader at the Jõhvi Police Station, the number of offenses identified by speed cameras has seen a slight decline when comparing this year to last. However, the number of speeders caught through routine traffic patrols has increased.
Trahviühiku hinnatõus kihutajaid ei heidutanud
Uuest aastast tõusis trahviühiku hind kaks korda, neljalt eurolt kaheksale. Sel aastal on registreeritud ca 11 000 väärtegu, mis on alustatud kiiruseületajate suhtes. Kiiruskaamerad on rikkumisi tuvastanud üle 75 000. Jõhvi politseijaoskonna grupijuhi Annika Elmi sõnul on eelmise ja selle aasta numbreid vaadates kiiruskaamerate poolt tuvastatud rikkumiste arv kerges languses. Samas tavaliiklusjärelevalves on tuvastatud kihutajate arv tõusnud.
Tallinna Kirjanduskeskus kuulutas välja Tammsaare muuseumi projekteerimishanke
Tallinna Kirjanduskeskuse juhi Maarja Vaino sõnul on Tammsaare maja oodanud renoveerimist pikki aastaid. "Maja on vana. See sai valmis aastal 1875. Selle aja jooksul ei ole minu teada sel majal talasid eriti palju vahetatud – ühel poolel on, aga teisel poolel on need täiesti vajunud. Juba aastaid hoiame hinge kinni, kui meil kooligrupid käivad, et kuidas põrandatalad vastu peavad, sest põrandad ikkagi õõtsuvad. Ka laudis on väga kehvas seisus, mõnes kohas on lausa augud sees.
Long line forms at Tallinn Airport's security check Monday
"Plastic bags are still not required at security checks, but we have reverted to the restriction that only containers with a maximum capacity of 100 milliliters are allowed. Based on the first day, we can say that slightly longer queues have formed," said Tarvi Pihlakas, head of security at Tallinn Airport.
Updated language law raises fines, increases employers' responsibility
The act has recently been analyzed to see if it has stood the test of time. One belief is that the national language cannot be used everywhere in the country, and, in some places, it is difficult for employers to find a person who knows Estonian. Kätlin Kõverik, chief expert of the language policy department of the Ministry of Education, told ERR that in recent years Estonia has become a destination for migration.
Tallinn planning spring campaign to find teachers
"There are 122 vacant teaching positions in Tallinn at this time. Another important factor we need to keep in mind is that many teachers who have hit retirement age are still working, teaching young people, whereas they now number around one thousand," Rundu told ERR. He said that the city's schools are also short on speech therapists, special education teachers and psychologists. "Also, when thinking about the transition to teaching in Estonian in all schools, language and literature teachers.
Kuressaare ER chief: Surge in dehydration cases after bacterial outbreak
Mihkel Laidna, head of ER at Kuressaare Hospital, said the surge was likely the result of bacteria identified as present in the water supply, adding that the resulting stomach problems respond well to treatment. Laidna said the symptoms were: "As if you want to drink, to take on water, but every time you do drink, you throw up almost immediately.
New coalition wants better protection for victims of sexual violence Original
However, in 2017, the Riigikogu ratified the Council of Europe's Istanbul Convention "Action against violence against women and domestic violence", which takes into account the principle of consent in relation to sexual crimes, and requires both parties to confirm their consent to a sexual act. The incoming coalition government now intends to adopt the principle.
This year more persons injured in traffic than last year
"There are a few more accidents and injuries but fewer deaths. If the final few days of the year pass without incident, the number of fatalities in road accidents may remain at 48, as it was in 2017, and the number of fatalities in Estonia has not been lower for a long time," Villu Vane, a traffic expert at the Transport Administration, told ERR on Tuesday morning. However, another road fatality was reported on Tuesday morning.
Transport Administration critical of de-icing on Tallinn-Tartu highway
Anti Palmi, head of the Estonian Transport Administration's infrastructure and maintenance department, said that de-icing efforts have not been enough where the accidents happened. Palmi said that while contractors try to meet requirements, road and changeable weather conditions mean this cannot always meet commuters' expectations. "We were not happy with the quality of the service on the Tallinn-Tartu highway in Järva County this Sunday.
Minister: FSB claim of alleged assassin fleeing to Estonia is provocation
Speaking to ETV news show "Aktuaalne kaamera" (AK), Reinsalu said: "We regard this as one instance of provocation in a very long line of provocations by the Russian Federation, and we have nothing more to say about it at the moment," noting that this was the official assessment of the ministry. The claim is also a part of Kremlin attempts to pressurize Estonia over its support for Ukraine during the current conflict, he said.
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