Do ministries or regulatory agencies develop forward regulatory plans – that is, a public list of anticipated regulatory changes or proposals intended to be adopted/implemented within a specified time frame?
Yes, throughout government
Since 2014, ministries present annually to Ministry of Justice their yearly legislative workplans. The Ministry of Justice summarizes them into one plan which is distributed on the Ministry of Justice's website. Also, the Government - as soon as it is elected - approves a government program which is valid for a 4-year period and it includes the most important legislative activities.
Are these plans available to general public?
Yes
The plans are distributed on the Ministry of Justice's website in a composite list of all legislative intent for the next year for all the ministries (http://www.just.ee/).
Do ministries or regulatory agencies publish the text or summary of proposed (not yet adopted) regulations before their enactment?
Yes, throughout government
The proposed regulations are published on the e-Consultation System (eelnõude infosüsteem http://eelnoud.valitsus.ee), which was created in 2011 as a work environment for inter-ministerial coordination of documents, submission of documentation to the Government and the Parliament as well as for public consultation.
Where is the draft text or summary published?
On a unified website where all proposed regulations are published; directly distributed to interested stakeholders.
Do ministries or regulatory agencies solicit comments on proposed (not yet adopted) regulations from the general public?
Yes, throughout government
How are the comments received?
On a unified website for all proposed regulations; through public meetings; through targeted outreach to stakeholders, such as business associations o...
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On a unified website for all proposed regulations; through public meetings; through targeted outreach to stakeholders, such as business associations or other groups; through email; through social media; through mail/courier.
Is the rulemaking body required by law to solicit these comments on proposed regulations?
Yes
Rules of the Government of the Republic, Good practice of engagement: clause 1
Is there a specialized government body or department tasked with soliciting and receiving these comments?
No
Do ministries or regulatory agencies report on the results of the consultation on proposed regulations?
Yes, throughout government
The summary of the consultation results is annexed to the decision under deliberation and is forwarded to all interest groups along with the feedback. The summary is also published on the E-Consultation website.
How does the government report on the results of the consultation?
Prepares one consolidated response.
Where does the government report on the results of the consultation?
On a unified website for all proposed regulations; directly distributed through public meetings; directly distributed to interested stakeholders.
Is reporting on the results of the consultation required by law?
Yes
Rules for Good Legislative Practice and Legislative Drafting, Good Practice of Engagement: clause 6
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Do ministries or regulatory agencies conduct an impact assessment of proposed (not yet adopted) regulations?
Yes, throughout government
Preliminary impact assessment has to be conducted for all draft acts. In-depth impact assessment is only conducted for acts with significant impact.
Are there criteria used for determining which proposed regulations are subjected to an impact assessment?
Yes
The Estonian Government has the obligation to conduct preliminary impact assessment within the legislative intent. In case legislative intent shows that significant impacts may occur, an in-depth RIA is obligatory. In order to identify significant impacts, a threshold test has been established. Four aspects must be analyzed for identifying the need for in-depth RIA: the size and nature of the target group; the scope of impact to the target group; the frequency of the occurrence of the impact; the risk of undesirable (side) impacts.
Are there any specific regulatory impact assessment guidelines?
Every ministry can make their studies available on their website.
When is this assessment distributed?
Together with the draft proposed legislation.
Is there an obligation for regulators to consider alternatives to proposed regulation?
Yes, throughout government
There is a general rule (with some exceptions) that for every draft law there must be a legislative intent. The legislative intent is a document where a problem is defined, objective set, various alternatives for reaching the objective described (both non-regulatory and regulatory) and the preliminary impact assessment of these options presented. In case that the legislative intent identifies that options for solving a certain problem could have significant impacts, an in-depth impact assessment (RIA) is required. Furthermore, an in-depth RIA must include the analysis of alternatives but a more thorough one than that in the legislative intent.
Is there a specialized government body tasked with reviewing and monitoring regulatory impact assessments conducted by other individual agencies or government bodies?
Yes
Please provide the name of this government body, and explain its functions.
The Legislative Quality Division of the Ministry of Justice has the general role of coordination and quality control of impact assessments conducted f...
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The Legislative Quality Division of the Ministry of Justice has the general role of coordination and quality control of impact assessments conducted for national legislation. Impact assessments for proposed EU acts are checked by the European Union Secret
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Are the laws that are currently in effect available in a single place?
