First Reading of the Draft Act Amending the Chemical Act (701 SE)
Session: The 15th Riigikogu, 6th Session, Plenary Sitting
Date: 2025-10-08 22:42
Participating Politicians:
Total Speeches: 17
Membership: 15
Agenda Duration: 15m
AI Summaries: 17/17 Speeches (100.0%)
Analysis: Structured Analysis
Politicians Speaking Time
Politicians
Analysis
Summary
The item on the agenda was the first reading of Draft Law 701 on the amendment of the Chemicals Act, initiated by the Government of the Republic. Minister of Economic Affairs and Industry Erkki Keldo introduced the draft bill, the main objective of which was to address deficiencies identified during the European Commission's infringement procedure (in the transposition of the Seveso III Directive), prevent major accidents involving hazardous chemicals, and reduce their impact on people, the environment, and property. The amendments concern the clarification of the tasks of official authorities following an accident, making the obligations of undertakings clearer (e.g., cooperation with the Rescue Board in the event of a domino effect risk), and reducing the administrative burden. The reduction of the administrative burden is achieved through the electronic submission of documents and the introduction of national hazard notification systems (sirens, e-alarm), which exempt undertakings from the obligation to create expensive notification systems. During the discussion, Rain Epler raised questions regarding the unlimited liability of undertakings for post-accident remedial measures and the distribution of liability in the event of failure of national notification systems. Minister Keldo explained that limitations were not deemed necessary and disputes would be resolved in court. Regarding the liability for notification systems, the minister promised to provide a clarifying answer. Mait Klaassen, representative of the Environment Committee, confirmed that the committee unanimously supported concluding the first reading of the draft bill.
Decisions Made 2
Following the proposal of the leading committee (the Environment Committee), it was decided to conclude the first reading of Draft Bill 701.
The deadline for submitting amendments was set for October 22nd at 17:15.
Most Active Speaker
The most active speaker was Rain Epler. He posed two substantive questions to the minister concerning the unlimited liability of businesses for remedial measures and the distribution of responsibility should state notification systems fail. He also submitted a procedural note to the Speaker of the Riigikogu to clarify the substance of the law.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Lauri Hussar introduced the seventh item on the agenda, which was the first reading of Draft Act 701, initiated by the Government of the Republic, concerning amendments to the Chemicals Act, and invited Minister of Economic Affairs and Industry Erkki Keldo to the Riigikogu rostrum to present the draft.
Majandus- ja tööstusminister Erkki Keldo
AI Summary
Minister of Economic Affairs and Industry Erkki Keldo introduced the draft amendment to the Chemicals Act, the primary goal of which is to resolve the infringement procedure initiated by the European Commission by ensuring the correct transposition of the directive on the prevention of major accidents involving dangerous chemicals. The amendments specify the duties of the Rescue Board and the TTJA (Consumer Protection and Technical Regulatory Authority), clarify the obligations of businesses (including cooperation and informing neighbors), and reduce the administrative burden. This reduction is achieved by making the submission of documents electronic and replacing the hazard notification systems used by businesses with national solutions, thereby improving overall safety and response capabilities.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Lauri Hussar thanked the esteemed Minister and then gave the floor to colleague Rain Epler, who wished to ask the Minister a question.
Rain Epler
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Rain Epler highlights the contradiction between the minister's claim (that no new obligations will arise for businesses) and the new legal provision (§ 22 subsection 61), which mandates unlimited restorative measures following a major accident to return the environment and property to their former state. He then asks whether the absence of limits will increase insurance costs and whether the establishment of fixed financial restrictions was considered.
Majandus- ja tööstusminister Erkki Keldo
AI Summary
Minister of Economic Affairs and Industry Erkki Keldo emphasizes the principles of Estonia as a rule of law, explaining that in cases of accidents resulting in property damage or personal injury, where an out-of-court settlement fails or the administrative procedure seems unfair, victims always have the option to turn to the courts to resolve the disputes, and imposing additional restrictions is considered unreasonable.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Lauri Hussar asked Rain Epler to put forward his second allotted question.
Rain Epler
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Rain Epler is raising questions about accountability regarding the duty to notify. He draws attention to the legal requirement that the responsibility for informing residents rests with the operator, even if that operator relied on state systems (such as the Emergency Center) and those systems failed (for example, due to SMS messages or sirens not working). He asks how liability is resolved in such a scenario.
Majandus- ja tööstusminister Erkki Keldo
AI Summary
Minister of Economic Affairs and Industry Erkki Keldo conceded that the new systems require continuous testing and development, but stressed that the law mandates the entrepreneur's obligation to submit the necessary information to the state through existing systems. He simultaneously confirmed, to the best of his knowledge, that the responsibility does not fall upon the business owner if the state systems subsequently fail after the obligation has been met, though he promised to verify the precise wording just to be sure.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Lauri Hussar thanked the minister, concluding the round of questions, and announced that before proceeding to the discussion of the Environment Committee—an overview of which will be provided by Mait Klaassen—a procedural matter would be addressed, giving the floor to Rain Epler.
Rain Epler
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Rain Epler presented a procedural remark made in good faith, the purpose of which was to inform the Speaker of the Riigikogu about the substance of the ongoing discussion, immediately citing the statutory wording that regulates the operator's obligations in hazardous enterprises in the event of accidents.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Lauri Hussar began with a brief word of thanks, but cut off his thought immediately after the word "but," leaving the audience waiting for the subsequent objection or clarification.
Rain Epler
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Rain Epler addressed the incident, which directly concerned the individuals who had remained in the affected area.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Lauri Hussar began his address warmly and approvingly, expressing that it was something very lovely or pleasant, but ultimately leaving the content and meaning of the sentence unfinished.
Rain Epler
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Rain Epler clarifies that the measure being addressed is restricted solely to informing and does not create an obligation to transmit the relevant information to state institutions.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Lauri Hussar corrected the previous speaker, stressing that the question posed was not procedural, and asked that speakers henceforth restrict themselves to matters pertaining to the conduct of the sitting. He subsequently gave the floor to Mait Klaassen to introduce the debate on the draft bill held in the Environment Committee.
Mait Klaassen
Profiling Eesti Reformierakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Mait Klaassen provided an overview of the preparations for the first reading of the draft amendment to the Chemical Act (701 SE) held in the Riigikogu's Environmental Committee. The primary objective of the bill is to bring Estonian law into compliance with EU requirements concerning major accident hazards (Seveso III) and to reduce the administrative burden on businesses. The Committee thoroughly discussed the risks associated with the public disclosure of chemical data regarding both trade secrets and security, ultimately deciding to adopt a case-by-case approach that allows for the refusal of disclosure when necessary. A consensus proposal was then made to conclude the first reading of the bill and forward it to the plenary session.
Lauri Hussar
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Lauri Hussar, having thanked the rapporteur and closed the debate due to the absence of requests to speak, announced, upon the proposal of the leading committee, the conclusion of the first reading of Draft Act 701, and set the deadline for the submission of amendments as 17:15 on October 22nd of the current year.