Draft law amending the Act on the Implementation of the Common Agricultural Policy of the European Union and the Feed Act (546 SE) - First Reading
Session: 15th Riigikogu, 4th session, plenary session
Date: 2024-12-17 12:33
Participating Politicians:
Total Speeches: 22
Membership: 15
Agenda Duration: 23m
AI Summaries: 22/22 Speeches (100.0%)
Analysis: Structured Analysis
Politicians Speaking Time
Politicians
Analysis
Summary
As the third item on the Riigikogu’s agenda, the first reading of the draft law amending the Act on the Implementation of the Common Agricultural Policy of the European Union and the Feed Act 546 took place, initiated by the Government of the Republic. Regional and Agricultural Minister Piret Hartman introduced the draft, whose main objectives are to align Estonian legislation with amendments to European Union law, increase legal clarity, and resolve implementation problems. The most significant change concerns the implementation of a system of social conditionality, linking the receipt of subsidies to compliance with requirements related to work and employment. It is also being abandoned the easing of the application of protective measures associated with conditionality (although the minister later clarified that the limit of claims of 100 euros without interest will remain in effect), strengthens the protection of geographical indications, and restructures the network of agricultural accounting data into a network of sustainability data.
During the debate, Arvo Aller, representing the faction of the Estonian Conservative People's Party, criticised the increased administrative burden for applicants and the resulting inequality in controls associated with the introduction of social conditionality. He also inquired about the future control functions of the Land Board (MaRu). Kalle Grünthal raised the question of the constitutionality of adopting EU acts between the Riigikogu and the European Union Affairs Committee (ELAK). The leading committee proposed to end the first reading, but the EKRE faction proposed to reject the draft law. The vote did not find support for the EKRE proposal.
Decisions Made 3
The proposal by the Conservative People's Party faction to reject bill 546 in its first reading did not find support (14 in favor, 51 against).
Bill 546 has concluded its first reading.
The deadline for submitting amendments was set for January 6, 2025, at 5:15 PM.
Most Active Speaker
Arvo Aller (EKRE) was active, repeatedly posing questions to the minister regarding the easing of conditionality and the control functions of the Land Board, and delivered a speech on behalf of the faction in the negotiations, criticizing the administrative burden and inequality of the social conditionality system.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
The Parliament of Estonia has reached the third item on the agenda, and the first reading of Draft Bill No. 546 will be opened concerning the Act implementing the European Union's Common Agricultural Policy and the law amending the Feed Act, and the floor will be given to the Minister for Regional Affairs and Agriculture, Piret Hartman.
Regionaal- ja põllumajandusminister Piret Hartman
AI Summary
The briefing explains that the draft bill brings the implementation of the European Union's Common Agricultural Policy and the law amending the Feed Act into alignment with EU legal acts, addresses implementation problems and increases legal certainty, by introducing, through a system of social conditionality, a link to working and employment conditions, and by strengthening the protection of geographical indications, quality schemes, and the sustainability data network, and by enabling the management of sustainable support and applications over a longer period.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
Toomas Kivimägi thanks and informs that there are questions, and asks Kalle Grünthali to answer.
Kalle Grünthal
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Kalle Grünthal asks how, in unicameral Estonia, the Riigikogu can adopt and approve European Union legal acts through a committee, when the constitution provides that Parliament itself adopts laws.
Regionaal- ja põllumajandusminister Piret Hartman
AI Summary
Regional and Agricultural Minister Piret Hartman said that Estonia's positions in the decision-making process regarding the common agricultural policy are coordinated before a decision is made in ELAK and before going to the Joint Council of Agricultural Ministers, in accordance with EU law and the existing draft, with the aim of reducing bureaucracy by consolidating registries and moving some decisions to the level of a ministerial decree, so as to focus only on what is most important.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
The chairperson asks Arvo Alleri to speak.
Arvo Aller
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Arvo Aller asks whether the removal of the relief under the conditionality-related protective measure means that a recoverable amount of up to 100 euros must be repaid now, and asks for justification as to whether the change stems from social conditions or from some other obligation.
Regionaal- ja põllumajandusminister Piret Hartman
AI Summary
The law provides that for this support, no recourse will be taken for up to 100 euros, interest-free, and the wording will be clarified to ensure that it is clear.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
This is just a brief invitation, in which one simply says: "Kalle Grünthal, please!"
Kalle Grünthal
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Grünthal asked, legally speaking, under which specific norm the Riigikogu has the authority to grant powers to ELAK, and whether, in the processing of a bill, its compliance with the Constitution must be assessed.
Regionaal- ja põllumajandusminister Piret Hartman
AI Summary
Regional and Agricultural Minister Piret Hartman said that she would introduce a new draft law that covers various legal norms and aspects, but the nuances of handling questions are better explained by lawyers, and she stressed that the key EU principles and positions will be discussed and approved in ELAK, and she travels monthly to present them.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
The director invited Arvo Alleri to take the floor.
Arvo Aller
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
From January 1, 2025, the Estonian Land and Spatial Administration will be given the opportunity to verify that applications for direct payments and for rural development support comply with the eligibility and conditionality requirements.
Regionaal- ja põllumajandusminister Piret Hartman
AI Summary
The Minister of Regional Affairs and Agriculture, Piret Hartman, said that the social conditionality requirements are checked by the Labour Inspectorate and the information is provided to PRIA, and they proceed from there, while MaRu is engaged in practical land-improvement works, but the exact delineation of which tasks remain for MaRu and PRIA must be submitted in writing, and these are specified more precisely in the regulation.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
Toomas Kivimägi thanked, said that there are no more questions, and asked Urmas Kruuse, the chair of the Rural Affairs Committee, to present at the Riigikogu's podium the leading committee's priorities and decisions.
Urmas Kruuse
Profiling Eesti Reformierakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
The Committee on Rural Affairs discussed the topic at the 10 December meeting and made consensus procedural decisions: to put the bill on the plenary agenda for 17 December, to designate the committee chair Urmas Kruuse as the representative of the lead committee, and to conclude the first reading.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
Toomas Kivimägi thanked, said that there were no questions, opened negotiations and invited Arvo Aller to speak on behalf of the EKRE faction.
Arvo Aller
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Arvo Aller pointed out that social conditionality increases applicants' administrative burden and creates an unequal situation, depending on the results of the Labour Inspectorate's inspections, and urged the EKRE faction to reject the bill at the first reading.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
The vice-chairman requests Urmas Kruuse to speak on behalf of the Reform Party faction.
Urmas Kruuse
Profiling Eesti Reformierakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Urmas Kruuse noted that although the EU's social conditionality is initially technically complex, it is not burdensome in Estonia, because occupational safety requirements and supervision exist, and the Estonian Chamber of Agriculture and Commerce has said the same, and he emphasized that we must not imagine punishing all employers, and such an approach does not fit our culture, therefore he proposed to terminate the first reading.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
Toomas Kivimägi ends negotiations and calls on members of the Riigikogu to vote for the EKRE faction's proposal to reject the first reading of Draft Bill 546, which concerns the government-initiated draft law amending the Act implementing the European Union's Common Agricultural Policy and the Feed Act.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
The Riigikogu's draft bill No. 546 for the first reading did not gain support, with 14 members voting in favor, 51 against and 0 abstentions; the first reading was concluded and the deadline for submitting amendments is 6 January 2025 at 5:15 p.m.