Draft law amending the Animal Husbandry Act (551 SE) – first reading
Session: 15th Riigikogu, 5th session, plenary sitting
Date: 2025-01-29 17:48
Participating Politicians:
Total Speeches: 8
Membership: 15
Agenda Duration: 9m
AI Summaries: 8/8 Speeches (100.0%)
Analysis: Structured Analysis
Politicians Speaking Time
Politicians
Analysis
Summary
This is the first reading of Bill 551, which supplements the Act on Breeding of Farm Animals, initiated by the Government of the Republic. The purpose of the bill is to restore alignment with European Union law by re-adopting Council Directive 90/428/EEC and Commission Decisions 92/216/EEC and 2020/[388] for implementation. Matters of interest include exemptions regarding changes in competitive conditions, notification obligations for organisers to the Competition Authority (PTA), and the publication of information at the prescribed time. It is also emphasized that breeding associations and various event organizations operating in Estonia have been involved, and the bill has been supplemented in cooperation with partners. Simultaneously, efforts are being made to maintain a regional and unified system that guarantees the welfare of horses and a common legal framework in alignment with the European Union. By the beginning of 2025, there are seven breeding associations dealing with horse breeding in Estonia, and it is clarified when and how competitions with horses registered or originating in Estonia will take place compared to horses born or originating in other Member States. The entry into force of the Act is planned in the usual order, and the bill has undergone a process of taking into account proposals from partner organizations.
Decisions Made 3
A consensus decision was made to put the draft on the plenary agenda for January 29th of this year; and to appoint the chairman of the agricultural committee, Urmas Kruuse, as the representative of the steering committee.
First reading complete.
The deadline for submitting amendments is February 12th at 5:15 PM.
Most Active Speaker
The most active speaker was Urmas Kruuse, chairman of the Rural Affairs Committee; position: other.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
During the sixth item on the agenda, the first reading of Draft Bill No. 551, an amendment to the Act on the Breeding of Farm Animals initiated by the Government of the Republic, will be discussed.
Regionaal- ja põllumajandusminister Piret Hartman
AI Summary
The purpose of the bill is to restore the Animal Breeding Act's alignment with European Union law by supplementing it with the necessary provisions for the transposition of Council Directive 90/428/EEC and for the implementation of Commission Decision 92/216/EEC and Commission Implementing Decision 2020/[388], and to prohibit differentiation in competition conditions between horses registered or originating from Estonia and horses registered or originating from other EU member states, with the exception of exemptions (competition of horses listed in the studbook, regional competition and historical or traditional event), where the organizer must notify the PTA before the competition and publish information and comply with the prescribed conditions, taking into account the proposals of partner organizations.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
The vice-chairman thanks and asks Riina Solman to present a question.
Riina Solman
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Riina Solman asks whether adopting the additional provision would lead to excessive regulation and bureaucracy for organizations dealing with horses, and why they were not informed or consulted by the organizations that organize horse racing.
Regionaal- ja põllumajandusminister Piret Hartman
AI Summary
Minister of Regional Affairs and Agriculture Piret Hartman said that Estonian law will restore in the statute the permits and obligations that were agreed with the European Union but were erroneously removed due to the restructuring of legal acts, and in fact no new regulation will be introduced; instead the previous regulation will be restored. These have been negotiated with the partners and their proposals have been incorporated, including the Estonian Horse Breeders' Association, the Estonian Trotting Union, and the Tori Horse Society, whose comments have been relevant and the draft has been amended. And one organizer must inform PTA in advance that they are organizing an event where a distinction is made between different horses or horses from different lands, but the PTA burden is not large, and the person responsible for this work will post the notice on the website.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
There are no more questions, and the chairman of the Rural Affairs Committee, Urmas Kruuse, provides a concise summary of the discussion that took place in the leading committee.
Urmas Kruuse
Profiling Eesti Reformierakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Urmas Kruuse pointed out that this draft is intended to correct mistakes arising from the 2018 Act on the Breeding of Agricultural Animals being declared invalid, and that informing entrepreneurs and a pan-European information system are very necessary from the perspective of animal welfare and the costs to entrepreneurs; the state is not the direct party responsible for sanctions, but the organizers should act toward one another with mutual respect; the Commission adopted decisions on 20 January and appointed Kruuse as the representative of the Executive Committee, and the first reading will be concluded; amendment proposals will be submitted within 10 working days.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Deputy Chairman Arvo Aller announced that the first reading of Draft Bill 551 has been completed; the deadline for submitting amendment proposals is February 12 of this year at 17:15, and the meeting has ended, the agenda exhausted.