Objectives

• Boosting security
• Ensuring the sustainability of public financing
• Implementing green reforms
• Reducing regional stagnation
• Reducing income inequality and extending people’s average lifespan and the number of years they lead healthy lives
• Developing the personalised state
• Guaranteeing high-quality education

All of us in the coalition want to ensure the broad-based security of the Estonian state, to invest in the competitiveness of the Estonian economy and in energy security and to implement green reforms at the same time as modernising tax policy, thereby increasing social well-being in the biggest cities and smallest places in the country alike

Kaja Kallas 11. April 2023 at Riigikogu

Values

• The core value underpinning the Estonian state is the protection of the fundamental rights and freedoms of its population. All of the political processes in Estonia must have their basis in loyalty to the Constitution and guarantee the nation’s freedom. Only a democratic form of government guided by the principles of the separation of powers and the rule of law will ensure Estonia’s continued development. In this way alone can Estonia be a place that offers the best conditions for the preservation of our culture and language and the self-actualisation of our people.
• The ongoing war in Ukraine and Russia’s wish to undermine the existing principles of European security places Estonia in the most complex security situation it has found itself in since World War II. Accordingly, the members of the government coalition will raise national defence spending to 3% of GDP for the next four years. At the same time we will continue to reinforce broad-based national defence and to enhance the country’s crisis-readiness. With our neighbour to the east at war, and with the period of turbulence that will inevitably follow the conflict, the uncertain and dangerous times we face are far from over.
• Estonia is fully aligned with the Western sphere of values. We are a member of the European family and an active member of the European Union. Estonia’s security is guaranteed by our obligations as allies in NATO, by the principle of collective defence accompanying our membership of said alliance and by the strength of our independent capability to defend ourselves. In NATO, the European Union and the UN, Estonia stands firmly against the wishes of dictators and aggressor states to subjugate other nations and reinstate a policy of spheres of influence.
• One of the starting points in forming the coalition for the three parties is the knowledge that Russia’s aggression continues and will continue to have a wide-ranging impact on people’s incomes and the success of businesses in Estonia, compounds hybrid threats and leaves people not knowing what the future will bring. Recent years have shown that in order to cope with major crises, the state must play an active role in the political and economic management of such crises. The energy crisis, which has substantially impaired the economies of Estonia and Europe more broadly, demands decisive action on the part of the government in establishing new production capacities for renewable energy and boosting security of supply.
• The sustainability of the Estonian state is reliant on educated people, the defence of private property and the principle of the market economy. In a country with a small population and an open economy, the current generation cannot live at the expense of future generations. State income and expenditure must be balanced so that we can keep our tax burden at a competitive level to ensure that our state finances remain sustainable. A country which values freedom, is Western in its outlook and has a smart economy whose finances are in order is the best way of guaranteeing Estonia’s independence and the willingness of its population to defend it.
• Guaranteeing national defence, making green investments and improving the financial position of the state require a review of tax revenue. Estonia’s tax burden must enable it to cope with the costs of the war and its consequences in such a way that our society does not end up in debt. The parties forming the coalition consider it important for our tax policy to be forward-looking and to contribute to resolving the major challenges with which Estonia is faced.
• Climate change and green reforms exhort us to live smarter, more economical and more environmentally friendly lives. This fundamental change must also be reflected in how we raise tax revenue as a society. Collecting new taxes from vices, consumption, pollution and the dumping of waste is also a means by which we can encourage people, companies and communities to rethink their actions and approach them in a more economical way. Estonia’s transition to the circular economy means that we will reuse as many natural resources and raw materials as possible, thereby reducing the amount of waste burnt.

Estonia 200

President of the Riigikogu, Minister of Economic Affairs and IT, Minister of Education and Research & Minister of Foreign Affairs.

Chairperson of the Constitutional Committee of the Riigikogu, Chairperson of the Environmental Committee of the Riigikogu, Chairperson of the European Union Affairs Committee of the Riigikogu & Chairperson of the National Defence Committee of the Riigikogu.

Estonian Reform Party

Prime Minister, Minister of Finance, Minister of the Climate and Environment, Minister of Defence, Minister of Justice, Minister of Social Protection, Minister of Culture, European Commissioner, Vice-President of the Riigikogu, Chairperson of the Finance Committee of the Riigikogu, Chairperson of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Riigikogu, Chairperson of the Social Affairs Committee of the Riigikogu, Chairperson of the Rural Life Committee of the Riigikogu, Chairperson of the Security Authorities Surveillance Select Committee of the Riigikogu, Deputy-Chairperson of the Anti-Corruption Select Committee of the Riigikogu & Deputy-Chairperson of the State Budget Control Select Committee of the Riigikogu.

Social Democratic Party

Minister of the Interior, Minister of Regional Affairs & Minister of Health.

Chairperson of the Economic Affairs Committee of the Riigikogu, Chairperson of the Legal Affairs Committee of the Riigikogu & Chairperson of the Cultural Committee of the Riigikogu.

National defence and broad-based security

MILITARY NATIONAL DEFENCE

1. In accordance with the basis of our security policy, we will guarantee national defence spending of 3% of GDP for the next four years, with the cost of receiving allies in addition to this.
2. We will make further investments to reinforce Estonia’s defence capabilities, taking into consideration the military advice offered by the Commander of the Defence Forces.
3. The main directions to be taken in the development of the Defence Forces will be enhancing multilayered air defence capabilities (including against drones), bolstering land forces and indirect fire support and stockpiling ammunition.
4. With consideration to the significant deterioration in the security situation in Europe, to the training needs of the second infantry brigade, to the increased presence of allies in Estonia and to the excessive burden on existing training areas, we will see to it that the development of the Nursipalu training area is completed in as short a time as possible. To this end we will amend the law so as to permit the use of a national defence exception and continue with the construction of the Nursipalu training grounds.
5. By way of recompense in acquiring the land needed for this, we will pay fair compensation in the form of recovery value. Based on the actual impact on local communities, we will prepare a package for the mitigation of the effects of the training area which includes a long-term toleration payment, special programmes for the amelioration of noise and additional funding in support of tourism and cultural heritage in South-Eastern Estonia.
6. The Estonian defence industry must also benefit from increased investments in national defence. To this end we will support the industry and develop an industrial park enabling the production of ammunition, weaponry and drones. We will also enhance development cooperation between the Defence Forces and the defence industry and improve the options open to the industry to raise credit and capital.
7. We will boost the abilities of the Defence League by increasing (among other things) the land defence contingent to 20,000 people, covering the cost of supplies and training from the defence budget and raising the number of instructors in accordance with the agreement reached between the Commander of the Defence Forces and the head of the Defence League.
8. We will support the non-military activities of the Defence League, including by promoting the Women’s Voluntary Defence Organisation and youth work. We will develop the Defence League’s abilities in non-military crises and enhance the networking it undertakes.
9. In cooperation with Latvia and Lithuania, we will petition NATO to establish Baltic air defence missions similar to the existing Baltic air policing missions.
10. We will establish centrally governed digital defence capabilities based on the Defence Forces and Defence League reserves as well as a rapid response unit to undertake action in information space.
11. With our partners in NATO and the EU we will increase the monitoring and defence of critical underwater infrastructure in the Baltic Sea.
12. We will amend the length of national service in accordance with the advice of the Commander of the Defence Forces. The term of national service linked to the development of certain capabilities may be extended to two years.
13. We will recognise members of the Defence Forces who have contributed to the development of Estonia’s national defence for at least 25 years.
14. We will petition all NATO member countries to increase their defence spending to 2.5% of GDP, and we will advocate for the military capabilities and ammunition of allies to be interoperable between allied countries.
15. We will work to ensure that our allies deploy high-tech weapons systems in our region and add to stocks of supplies and ammunition that are already in place.
16. We will pursue closer defence cooperation with Finland and Sweden and support them in every way in their accession to NATO.
17. We will set ourselves the target of doubling the number of women voluntarily undertaking national service, thereby increasing the overall number of women contributing to military defence.
18. We will establish an international training and development centre for military and catastrophe medicine in Tartu.

BROAD-BASED SECURITY AND INTERNAL SECURIT

1. In guaranteeing and developing Estonia’s security we are guided by the concept of an open approach to security. Based on this, ensuring security and crisis preparedness in the state and society is a comprehensive, systematic and ongoing process.
2. This approach must be reflected in the attitude, readiness and action-taking of and cooperation between constitutional institutions, the executive, local governments, companies, organisations, communities and individuals.
3. In order to boost society’s preparedness for crises and to guarantee more clarity in crisis management we will overhaul the judicial area by adopting the Civil Crisis and National Defence Act.
4. We will develop a solution for the permanent funding of broad-ranging national defence, including civil protection, and devise a plan to cover investment needs for the development of non-military capacities in broad-based national defence and for civil protection.
5. We will enhance intelligence and counter-intelligence capabilities and, where needed, update the Security Authorities Act.
6. We will reduce the spread of disinformation in Estonia. We will place strategic communication capabilities under unified management and foster the ability to respond both promptly and effectively to hostile information operations.
7. We will complete the construction of terrestrial infrastructure on our eastern border by the end of 2025.
8. We will develop a training system for internal protection.
9. We will intensify action to prevent accidents and breaches of the peace through targeted awareness and supervisory activities. In their operations, rescue workers and police officers must not only respond effectively to accidents and breaches of the peace, but also focus on preventing them through sensible activities pertaining to awareness and supervision.
10. We will see to it that offence proceedings are henceforth conducted in entirely digital format so that police officers no longer have to spend time on procedural acts, thus freeing up police resources.
11. We will broaden the options open to local governments to contribute to ensuring public order. To achieve this we will set higher requirements for local government law enforcement officials and grant them the right to deal with individuals in a state of intoxication who breach public order.
12. To improve crisis preparedness we will establish a civil protection reserve which, based on community initiative, will offer additional support to the Rescue Board and health care system in ensuring civil protection.
     

Foreign policy and support for Ukraine

FOREIGN POLICY AND DIPLOMACY

1. We will support the continuation of the expansion policies of both the European Union and NATO on clear criteria and do everything we can to assist the European Union’s Eastern Partnership states in regard to implementing internal reforms and strengthening democracy and the rule of law.
2. We will promote all forms of cooperation with the United States of America as a strategic partner in national defence, the economy and culture.
3. Estonia is an active Member State of the European Union which, by emphasising unity, defends its national interests in the creation of laws and the shaping and implementation of policies.
4. We will boost Estonia’s diplomatic influence, using our dynamic, open and motivated foreign service to guarantee in the best possible way the country’s security, its foreign economic interests and the protection of its citizens around the world. To this end we will update the Foreign Service Act and consolidate Estonian embassies of strategic importance.
5. We will pursue active economic diplomacy which enables our companies to expand to foreign markets, attracts new investments and creates prosperity for Estonia as a whole.
6. The focus of Estonia’s development cooperation will be on promoting a safe and economically successful neighbourhood based on democracy and the rule of law in the countries of the Eastern Partnership of the European Union.
7. We will unite the global Estonian community by supporting the establishment of a worldwide network enabling anyone wishing to do so to obtain information about Estonia and to contribute to the country’s development.
8. We will strengthen cooperation in all of its forms between the Nordic countries and the Baltic States.

SUPPORT FOR UKRAINE

1. Within the European Union we are advocating for stronger sanctions to be imposed on Russia. We are supporting and will continue to support Ukraine economically, politically and militarily.
2. We back Ukraine in its bid to become a member country of NATO.
3. Estonia supports the expansion of the European Union and the imminent launch of accession talks with Ukraine and Moldova.
4. We are already actively contributing and will continue to contribute to the rebuilding of Ukraine and will do everything we can to ensure that the experience and skills of the public and private sectors in Estonia and the potential of our companies are utilised to the greatest possible extent in Ukraine.
5. Estonia will continue to pursue international cooperation with the aim of bringing Russia and key figures in Putin’s regime to justice for their crimes of aggression. It must also be ensured that confiscated Russian assets can be put towards the rebuilding of Ukraine.

Economic development and innovation

ECONOMIC GROWTH AND INNOVATION

1. We will take a systematic approach to the leadership and development of the innovation ecosystem. The innovation ladder and the green ladder are two tools which will help companies to assess their capacity for innovation and their environmental footprint, thereby making themselves more competitive.
2. We will invest at least 1% of GDP in research and development and set ourselves the goal of private-sector spending on research and development reaching at least 2% of GDP.
3. Our aim will be for 2% of all public procurements to be targeted at the acquisition of innovative solutions.
4. In the public sector, we will establish a minimum wage equivalent to 60% of the median wage by 2027. We will set ourselves the goal of entering into a trilateral good-will agreement with unions and employers in May 2023 so that the minimum wage reaches 60% of the median wage by 2027 and grows at a faster rate than the average wage.
5. We will establish a centre for applied research in cooperation with entrepreneurs and scientific establishments. We will increase funding for the applied research programme based on the areas on which the state wishes to focus.
6. We will boost the financial capacity of Enterprise Estonia to secure major projects and make green investments and for Estonian companies to expand onto foreign markets.
7. We will make working regulations more modern and flexible. Legislation pertaining to working must adapt to the changed nature of work, bring as many different groups of people as possible to the labour market and enable flexible workloads and organisation of work whilst ensuring social guarantees.
8. We will provide base funding annually to ensure the functioning of the digital state and the prevention of security risks so that cybersecurity is in line with the latest technological developments and threats. We will set specific objectives to reduce the digital footprint of and save energy in the use of the digital state.
9. We will set ourselves the goal of Estonia being the best country in Europe, in terms of its enterprise and tax environments and its foreign agreements, in which to establish and maintain company headquarters and from which to globally manage assets.
10. We will take a systematic approach to ensuring the availability of capital for Estonian companies, including by promoting the investment of pension fund money in the Estonian economy so as to accumulate national capital and boost the competitiveness of local companies.
11. We will analyse opportunities for the creation of a Green Corridor with which to promote investments offering high added value by reducing bureaucracy and therefore shortening the time it takes to obtain the approval necessary for all projects to be implemented.

PERSONALISED STATE

In order to create a personalised state we will implement the digital transition in public administration, guided by the following principles:

1. We will carry out budgetary reviews and launch zero-base reforms, i.e. rebuild the national budget from the ground up. We will review every cost item so as to eliminate unnecessary expenditure and use the money available in the budget in as smart and economical a way as possible.
2. We will produce an open e-state as a platform for which companies, citizens’ associations and others can create new solutions.
3. We will support the process for the formalisation of laws in the State Gazette in a way that enables rules for responding to issues and undertaking other actions to be generated from texts, with these rules then able to be used in, among other things, the software for public-sector services.
4. We will create a mobile app for the e-state through which information and services can be provided to every person in Estonia by the state.
5. We will introduce, at the legislative level, the principle of the single submission of data for both individuals and companies.
6. We will replace the requirement to submit an application with consent for services in cases where the state is certain that the citizen in question is eligible to obtain the service.
7. We will complete the already planned introduction of e-invoices in the public sector and support the full implementation of digital accounting in the private sector as well. An e-invoice is a form of electronic communication between machines.
8. We will review all state services and eliminate any doubling-up. We will review management in ministries, agencies and foundations as a whole and also the number of officials employed in them. We will make online voting possible on smart devices.
9. We will develop the digital state in a user-centric way that promotes innovation, prioritising ease of use on smart devices and the security of systems and services. We will enable more service-related and decision-making processes characteristic of the personalised state and the integration of artificial intelligence into data-based decision-making.
10. To ensure that open data are freely available we will make the crossover use of various state databases possible and provide user-friendly access to them. We will establish better conditions for the crossover use of data at the state and local government levels.
11. We will centralise public-sector services and service-related information of importance to entrepreneurs in the eesti.ee digital gateway, creating proactive solutions or solutions which are based on event services. We will promote the widespread use of artificial intelligence and machine learning.
     

FINANCIAL POLICY

1. We will set ourselves the goal of moving towards a balanced state budget. We will review both the income and expenditure in the state budget and identify areas in which savings can be made.
2. We will conduct a state budget review on zero-base principles and increase the transparency of the budget.
3. We will expand the taxation base of the state and local governments and place greater focus on the taxation of consumption, pollution and property.
4. From 2025 we will abolish the current tax hump on personal income tax and raise the tax-free threshold to 700 euros per month.
5. We will raise VAT by 2% in 2024. We will abolish the low-VAT exception for accommodation providers as of 1 January 2025.
6. We will raise personal and company income tax by 2% in 2025. We will abolish the lower income tax rate applicable to regularly distributed profits.
7. We will introduce a car tax on 1 July 2024.
8. With our taxation policy we will promote the circular economy and the reuse of resources.
9. We will tax the use of plastics and packaging so as to reduce the generation of waste therefrom.
10. We will continue to tax vices and behaviour that poses a health risk, at the same time preventing the rise of cross-border trade.
11. We will make it possible for local governments to establish local taxes.
12. We will review environmental and resource fees and we will tax deforestation.
13. We will boost state tax revenue from gambling.
14. We will abolish additional tax-free income for children, spouses and home loan interest from 2024.

Development of education and research

ESTONIAN-LANGUAGE EDUCATION AND ORGANISATION OF SCHOOLS

• From autumn 2024 we will make all pre-school education in the country Estonian language-based, with children attending the same kindergartens regardless of the language they speak at home. From autumn 2024, Estonian-language or language-immersion teaching will be guaranteed for every child attending kindergarten, depending on their skills and abilities.
• We will make all basic school education in the country Estonian language-based by 2030, with children attending the same schools regardless of the language they speak at home. From autumn 2024, Estonian-language or language-immersion teaching will be guaranteed for every child starting Grade 1 or Grade 4, depending on their skills and abilities. In establishing unified Estonian schools we will be guided by regional differences and the recommendations of experts. Where necessary we will develop individual transition plans for Russian-language schools.
• We will involve parents in the transition to Estonian-language education. In connection with the transition we will ensure that students in schools and kindergartens who speak a language other than Estonian at home are still able to learn their mother tongue and about their culture.
• The transition to Estonian-language studies in schools which to date have taught in Russian or in a combination of languages must be implemented in such a way that the students gain a better understanding of the subjects they are studying.
• We will guarantee funding from the state budget for the implementation as planned of the action plan for the transition to Estonian-language education.

1. We will make pre-school, general and vocational education Estonian language-based in accordance with current legislation.
2. We will set ourselves the goal of raising teachers’ salaries to 120% of the average wage over the next four years, including by increasing the differentiation fund.
3. We will establish career models for education workers, including an appropriate calculation of workload and a salary model. We will pay particular attention to resolving the issue of the next generation of teachers.
4. We will raise the age of compulsory school attendance to 18, i.e. until students gain either secondary or vocational education after basic school. This change will come into effect for students graduating from basic school in 2024.
5. We will make vocational education more attractive, with students in vocational schools not only attaining a professional qualification but also competitive secondary education (four years of study).
6. We place importance on cooperation between the field of education and the private sector in order for them to work together to resolve the challenges faced in the field. For example, by working with the private sector, solutions could be found in the development of flexible learning methods, modern teaching materials could be created and young people’s interest in the real and natural sciences could be increased.
7. The school network requires greater clarity in its rules and organisation. We will develop a funding model for the school network which promotes the maintenance of kindergartens and pre-schools (up to the second stage of schooling) close to people’s homes. All regional schools with students in Grades 1-6 will be transferred to class-based funding on condition that 30 or more children study there for a period of three years on average. Class-based funding will lower incrementally as student numbers range from 30 to 20.
8. We will raise the quality of school management and make all employment contracts of school directors fixed-term. We will establish a recruitment and assessment committee for heads of education to support educational institutions in the hiring of high-quality directors and in the evaluation of them.
9. We will review the principles of organising education for and providing support services to children with special educational needs (SEN) and seek ways of boosting the organisation of inclusive education.
10. In order to increase environmental and climate awareness we will develop green skills and knowledge at all levels of education and in lifelong learning. Environmental education must help students of all ages understand the causes of the climate crisis and be aimed at solutions, i.e. resolving said crisis. We will update curricula with knowledge supporting sustainable development.
11. We will increase opportunities for the non-formal learning of Estonian.

HIGHER EDUCATION AND FUNDING OF RESEARCH

1. We will invest public funds in research and development to the value of 1% of GDP, and we will support entrepreneurs so that the private sector invests at least 2% of GDP in research and development.
2. We will raise activity support for higher education by 15% over the next three years and increase opportunities for the raising of private funds so as to grow the funding of higher education to 1.5% of GDP.
3. We support the continued provision of initial Estonian-language higher education free of charge in the current volume. We will give universities the opportunity, in certain cases, to establish tuition fees on Estonian-language courses as well.
4. We will draft a law enabling tuition fees to also be levied in doctoral studies in exceptional cases.
5. We will make it possible for the retraining support offered by the Estonian Unemployment Insurance Fund to be used to cover the cost of tuition fees.
6. We will expand the flexible fee-charging learning opportunities on offer (e.g. part-time studies and one-year Master’s curricula).
7. We will develop incentives for companies to increase their investments in higher education.
8. We will reform the student loan system. We will increase the amount of the student loan to 6000 euros per academic year and extend the repayment period.
9. We will double the rate of the needs-based education allowance.

Environment and biodiversity

GREEN REFORMS AND THE CIRCULAR ECONOMY

1. We will implement green reforms in cooperation with the public, private and third sectors. Working with entrepreneurs we will reshape Estonia’s economic model to make it sustainable and climate-neutral. The green reforms cover all fields: every budget investment must lead us to more sustainable use of the environment and to a more sustainable economic model.
2. In cooperation with researchers, experts, community associations and entrepreneurs we will adopt the Climate Act and establish legal clarity and investment assurance for the achievement of climate objectives. In order to guarantee predictability and legal assurance for all parties for the fulfilment of Estonia’s climate goals up to 2030 and to achieve climate neutrality by 2050, we will determine key target levels affecting the future of different areas of life and the economy. We will work with a body of experts to periodically assess the implementation of the Climate Act.
3. The achievement of the objectives of the Green Deal is only possible if we raise the awareness of society as a whole and get a range of interest groups involved. We will increase communication, information and inclusion activities to explain the environmental challenges we face, find common threads and improve the culture of debating important issues.
4. We will digitalise waste management so as to guarantee checks on waste flows. We will implement the ‘polluter pays’ principle. We will establish waste-sorting solutions that take people into consideration. We will see to it that the system of manufacturers’ responsibility for packaging waste functions more efficiently, and we will set a separate target for the recycling of sales packaging.
5. On the circular economy road map we will work with the state, local governments, the non-government sector and entrepreneurs to set out pathways for the development of Estonia’s circular economy (including opportunities for recycling). We will increase the reuse of waste and by-products from oil shale mining and other materials, including through public procurements. We will eliminate obstructions to the reuse of building materials and demolition waste and simplify the amendment of the purpose of use of buildings.
6. For state agencies and local governments we will develop a programme for the reduction of digital waste and of the environmental footprint of the IT sector.
7. In developing circular solutions we will focus on high-impact sectors of the economy i.e. resource-intensive industrial sectors. We will create targeted measures and programmes to help them increase their efficiency and develop solutions for extracting even greater value from materials.
8. In order to achieve energy independence and to save people money, our priority is the renovation of residential and other buildings, which we will support from EU funds.
9. We will also promote circular-economy business models and innovative ideas (such as the sharing economy and the concept of products as services) in regard to the services offered by the state. 
    

NATURE CONSERVATION AND PRESERVATION OF BIODIVERSITY

1. In order to restore biodiversity we will map out a comprehensive green network covering the entire country, getting private forest owners, local governments and communities involved in nature conservation in line with the EU Biodiversity Strategy. We will halt the decline in biodiversity indicators by restoring habitats and supporting land use which is designed to conserve nature.
2. Working with scientists and representatives of the private sector we will draft a peat policy for Estonia. Open-cast and unrehabilitated mining areas and former peat-mining sites place a burden on the environment, and peat cannot be extracted from natural bogs as this contravenes Estonian and international guidelines and agreements.
3. We will enhance the status of Estonia’s watercourses (rivers and creeks) and review the condition of straits, looking into options for improving them.
4. We will reform the system of environmental fees so as to promote a reduction in pollution.
5. We will launch marine conservation reforms and draft an action plan for the development of a sustainable blue economy.
6. We will update the system of fees for recreational and commercial fishing.

FORESTRY

1. We will adopt the forestry development plan which has already been drafted and improve the quality of forestry data so as to more accurately monitor the status of Estonia’s forests. The target we will set is that the stock of commercial forests must not decrease. In order to achieve this objective we will approve the draft act amending the Forest Act at the government level in autumn 2023.
2. We will develop the underlying basis of forestry policy until 2050, setting out principles of sustainable forest use in line with the climate objectives that have been established.
3. Forest management and the valorisation of timber as a whole must guarantee that the field of forestry is a carbon binder. Maximum value must be extracted from Estonian timber, with end products having the highest possible capacity to bind carbon.
4. All forestry-related data must be digital, public and linked to other state databases (including the Police and Border Guard Board, the Transport Administration and the Tax and Customs Board).
5. We will digitalise the entire felling process and all reporting linked to it. Data pertaining to felling notifications, felling work and the completion of felling must be immediately available.
6. We will maintain forests and recreational woodlands which are close to areas where people live as they are highly valued parts of the living environment. We will describe the regulation of areas of increased public interest in law.
7. We will trial the maintenance and management of state forests as community and permanent forests in areas of increased public interest.
8. In general, clearcutting will be restricted in nature reserves.
9. In order to valorise and obtain greater added value from timber we consider the development of wood chemistry important.
10. We will tax the felling of trees in forests and on agricultural land.
11. We will analyse the principles of compensation for the impact of nature conservation restrictions on both land owners and local governments. 

SPATIAL PLANNING

1. We will reorganise the structural units of the agencies dealing with spatial planning to form the single Land Use and Spatial Planning Authority (official name in English TBC).
2. The Land Use and Spatial Planning Authority (official name in English TBC) will advise, among other things, on the drafting of local climate plans, which in combination with more professional spatial planning will help us to adapt to climate change, prevent segregation, prepare for the future and conserve the environment.
3. The Land Use and Spatial Planning Authority (official name in English TBC) will aim to guarantee a high-quality living environment in both urban and regional areas. We will contribute to the use of best practice in modern spatial planning in the development of mobility, infrastructure and cities in order to reduce displacement, segregation, costs and our environmental footprint.
4. We will amend the Planning Act and Building Code to make it obligatory to follow the principles of high-quality space. We will support property development centred around public transport and the preferential development of economical modes of travel.
5. We will set ourselves the target of renovating as many buildings as possible, including public-sector buildings, in an energy-efficient way. We will adopt the life cycle assessment of embodied CO2 in buildings in design and construction. We will make it obligatory to undertake the smart monitoring of the energy class of public and commercial buildings.
6. We will introduce the principle that new public buildings should preferably be constructed from timber. This constitutes climate-neutral construction, producing carbon sinks.

Energy and infrastructure 

SECURITY OF SUPPLY AND GREEN ENERGY

1. Our position is that renewable energy is overwhelmingly in the public interest. We will expedite the planning and establishment of renewable capacities and make it possible to access the network sooner. We will set criteria for the selection of projects of overwhelming public interest and for construction in a faster, simplified manner.
2. We will promote and adopt opportunities devised in the private sector to decrease energy consumption and thereby reduce costs and the burden on the network at peak times, working at the EU level to ensure that compensation for consumption management takes place on the electricity market.
3. We will make the public sector the example to follow in reducing climate footprints.
4. We will support industrial companies in making the energy transition and improving resource efficiency.
5. In 2023 we will take analysis-based decisions regarding energy system choices to be made over the coming decades. In order to fulfil the objective of 100% renewable electricity we will organise tenders with price ceilings and price floors, including for the expedited construction of offshore wind farms.
6. Our goal will be for Estonia to become a country which exports renewable energy.
7. On the basis of the report compiled by the nuclear energy working group we will decide whether nuclear energy could play a role in Estonia’s energy portfolio and, if so, what kind of role that might be.
8. In proportion to renewable energy we will turn our attention to the establishment of storage capacities and create the guarantee mechanism required for the realisation of strategic energy projects which are in the interests of the EU as a whole.
9. We will promote the development of green hydrogen technology. We will support geothermal energy surveys and studies into the use of residual heat and heat from wastewater and sea water for heating and cooling.
10. We will make investments in networks in accordance with the coordinated plan of network companies with the aim of making the networks more weather-resistant, eliminating phantom subscriptions, bolstering connections with Estonia’s islands and giving new production companies the chance to subscribe.
11. We will see the partitioning of Elektrilevi from Eesti Energia through to its conclusion.
12. We will make oil shale mining separate from Eesti Energia and establish a standalone company that guarantees all market participants equal access to oil shale resources at cost price. We will favour making maximum use of existing mines over the opening of new mines.
13. For spatial development and more efficient multi-purpose land use, the future focus must shift from large solar farms established on the ground to solar panels installed on buildings and other structures.
14. We will support the distributed energy production projects of communities, land owners and companies, including the development of micro-networks and the creation of energy cooperatives.
15. As a producer of electricity we will make it possible for apartment associations and household consumers to subscribe to up to 30 kW at a fixed price.
16. In developing networks we will also take into account the rapid rise in the number of electric vehicles and the development of charging points accompanying it.
17. We will establish new external links in order to grow Estonia’s energy security.
18. We will connect Estonia to the synchronous grid of Continental Europe by 2025.
19. We will support the establishment of an electricity network for offshore wind farms on the Baltic Sea and its addition to the list of European projects.
20. We will support continued studies into the adoption of mineral resources of importance to Estonia and the European Union and seek ways of generating new prosperity for the population of Estonia in doing so whilst conserving the environment.
21. By 2027 we will organise a public competition for the acquisition of a controllable power reserve.
22. We will produce a decarbonisation plan for the gas market in order to expand the biogas market.
23. We will bring to an end the burning of wood in industrial electricity production, pursuing cooperation in other European countries in order to achieve this. However, we will use biomass in local cogeneration plants. We will support the cascading use of wood and its use for the generation of greater added value, not for the export of wood for energy.

INFRASTRUCTURE AND CONNECTIONS

1. We will undertake mobility reforms, synchronise different types of transport and develop mobility-on-demand. We will guarantee free public transport for children, the elderly and the disabled.
2. We will continue with the reconstruction of the hazardous sections of the Tallinn-Tartu and Tallinn-Pärnu highways in the agreed volume, adopting the 2+2 lane or 2+1 lane principle.
3. We will continue with the construction of Rail Baltic.
4. We will ensure the upkeep of railway infrastructure and growth in speeds and continue with the electrification of Estonia’s railways.
5. We will draft a national strategy for the use of bicycles with the aim of improving opportunities to use and park bicycles and to guarantee greater safety for cyclists in the day-to-day use of their bicycles.
6. We will guarantee ferry and flight connections with Estonia’s islands at least at the current level and will analyse ways of improving this situation.
7. For the development of the marine economy we will modernise maritime legislation, give consideration to the special nature of the field in regard to export warranty conditions and emphasise the regional role of small ports and harbours.
8. In regions subject to market obstacles we will utilise state measures to develop a free network of parcel terminals so as to guarantee the provision of communications and services throughout the country.
9. We will support the proposal of the European Commission to switch Baltic railways to the European gauge.

Regional policy and rural life

REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT

1. We will increase the financial autonomy of local governments. We will enable greater flexibility for local governments in establishing local taxes.
2. We will balance out the revenue base of local governments in order to limit the negative impact of urban sprawl and regional underdevelopment, taking into account (among other things) the distribution of the population and the locations of workplaces.
3. In the course of updating the Local Government Organisation Act and the Local Government Financial Management Act we will review the division and funding of tasks between local governments and the central government.
4. We will promote cooperation between local governments in the distribution of support. Through the deductibles and volumes of support measures we will motivate local governments to work together to determine projects in which they can jointly invest.
5. We will reinforce the principle of the regional distribution of entrepreneurship incentives in the use of European Union structural funds. To this end we will establish conditions for applying for and using support that create greater regional balance, and in the case of the Smarter Estonia and Greener Estonia entrepreneurship incentives we will aim to allocate at least 40% of support to places outside of the Tallinn and Tartu regions.
6. In the implementation of the support measures of the European Union we will take the nature of different parts of the country into account in order to limit regional underdevelopment.
7. We will boost local government autonomy in taking state land into use. We will map out the state land not in use in towns and cities and transfer it to local governments with the aim of fulfilling entrepreneurial, community and public interests.
8. We will expand to all of the regions in Estonia the pilot programme for housing co-loans which has been launched by the Rural Development Foundation. Via the foundation and Enterprise Estonia we will offer co-loans and surety to families who are building homes in rural areas.
9. We will reduce the co-payment rate of KredEx support for the reconstruction of apartment buildings to 30% for local governments outside of Tallinn and Tartu and settlement units in neighbouring local government areas. We will pilot a quarter-based renovation programme.
10. In order to boost the quality of public space we will continue to demolish aesthetically unpleasing buildings and devise a programme for the improvement of public space.
11. We will work with Latvia to improve cooperation between Valga and Valka and the development of joint services.
12. We will create a programme of regional investments and bring to an end the distribution of covering funds in the Riigikogu.
13. We will boost the IT abilities and awareness of local governments through consultation and by offering centrally developed service solutions. We will set ourselves the goal of transferring local government and state IT systems and services to a single personalised state system.

IDA-VIRU COUNTY

1. For the better management of the resolution of the challenges linked to Ida-Viru County we will appoint a government representative to the county. We will improve the living environment in the county with input from and the involvement of architects and Estonian Academy of Arts experts on urban space.
2. We will expedite the use of funding from the Just Transition Fund, where necessary redesigning measures to ensure that they better meet the needs of the region in question. We will enhance our capacity for Russian-language communication in order to outline the opportunities offered by the fund.
3. We will modernise Narva Hospital with the support of European Union funding.

RURAL AFFAIRS

1. We will ensure the continuity of supply of local food and designate doing so a vital service.
2. We will look for ways to support farmers and food producers through targeted ad-hoc grants and transition facility support. We will maintain the minimum rate of excise permitted by the EU on diesel fuel used in agriculture and fishing.
3. We will motivate educational institutions in Estonia to contribute to making food production more knowledge-based and in the training of the next generation of producers to meet the needs of entrepreneurs. We will guarantee the commissioning of higher education that supports food security in accordance with the OSKA report.
4. We will develop a regulation for the protection of valuable agricultural land. We will contribute to the upkeep of land improvement systems and review the state’s principles regarding the acquisition and provision for use of agricultural land so that such land remains in the hands of those using it for its intended purpose.
5. We will restrict third-country citizens’ access in the buying and leasing of agricultural and forest land. In order to guarantee Estonia’s security we will limit the options open to third-country citizens to acquire immovable property.
6. We will encourage more people to embrace organic produce. We will continue to compensate the cost of using organic ingredients in schools and kindergartens in order to support the shaping of healthy eating habits among children.
7. We will continue to introduce sustainable agricultural practices which lead to a reduction in the use of pest control products and fertilisers.
8. We will look for ways of using a greater volume of healthy local food in public catering and increase the proportion of vegetarian food.
9. We will develop a national programme for the reduction of food waste.
10. We will promote the donating of food by improving legal regulations and through communication which encourages retailers and wholesalers to donate food items. In order to reduce food waste we will implement measures which have already been shown to work in the European Union.
11. We will improve the availability of healthy vegetarian food in catering institutions serving the public sector.
12. We will update legislation pertaining to the keeping of pets as well as procedures for their registration.

Culture and sport

CULTURE AND CREATIVE WORK

1. We will look for additional ways of utilising private funds in the financing of the fields of sport and culture.
2. We will continue with the programme of showcasing culture for school students.
3. We will continue to support the development of the Estonian film industry via Film Estonia programmes.
4. We will update the Public Broadcasting Act and analyse the funding model of the Estonian national broadcaster (ERR).
5. Via the financing options of the Cultural Endowment of Estonia we will find the means to construct a new building for ERR.
6. We will adopt a new Public Libraries Act and implement a unified library system for everyone in Estonia.
7. We will set ourselves the goal of improving the system of social guarantees for creative persons. We will update the Creative Persons and Artistic Associations Act. In regard to public-sector cultural institutions and the remuneration of creative work financed by the public sector, forms of remuneration will be favoured which are accompanied by the payment of taxes by the employer and social guarantees.
8. We will support and foster the digitalisation of works in order to secure their preservation and availability. To this end we will develop funding opportunities for cultural creation, including EU funding, and promote the development of virtual production.
9. We will protect the tradition of Song and Dance Celebrations, national culture and heritage culture.
10. We will conduct an inventory of heritage conservation sites. Heritage conservation must be educational in nature and support the initiative of owners. Objects of architectural value must not be allowed to go to ruin because of bureaucratic obstacles placed in the path of owners and unjustified demands places on them by officials, nor due to a lack of awareness, due care or financial ability on the part of the owner.
11. We will look for ways of taxing international streaming platforms and work to ensure the fair taxation of global digital giants.
12. We will bring to an end the differentiation between culture and creative entrepreneurship in the eyes of state and other agencies, which impedes the development of the field of culture. We will consciously include the private sector in the development of cultural policy and strategies.
13. We consider it necessary to boost the project-based competence of the creative economy and field of culture so as to gain better access as a leading partner to Creative Europe and Horizon Europe investments. We will contribute to the field’s ability to access European support structures and new means of funding.
14. We will support the development of locally influenced identity-based communities and cultures. In the interests of the cultural development of the Seto, Võru, Rannarootsi, Saare, Kihnu, Peipsivene and other communities, including newly integrated communities, we will enhance the administrative and project-based competence of their representative bodies and/or institutions (such as the Võru and Mulgi Institutes).

SPORT AND EXERCISE

1. We will encourage people in Estonia to exercise more. We will expand existing programmes promoting exercise among children to all schools with the aim of children spending at least 60 minutes of every school day being physically active.
2. We will continue with the Team Estonia high-performance sport project of the Estonian Olympic Committee (EOC).
3. We will modernise the support framework for the acquisition of the qualification of trainer in the sports federations of the EOC and create a system to support the next generation of trainers and their professional development.
4. We will develop a basis for the support of competitions which are of importance to Estonian athletes for their calibre and to the country for their marketing potential.
5. We will draft principles for the financing of sports venues of national importance, taking into account regional balance, and seek funding for them.
6. We will develop a national network of regional recreational sports centres with the aim of creating opportunities for everyone to exercise in the open air.
7. We will champion honesty in sport by fostering the further development of the Estonian Centre for Integrity in Sports as a centre of excellence in order to guarantee an effective fight against doping, match-throwing, abuse and other problems related to sports ethics.
    

INTEGRATION

1. We will guarantee adaptation services designed for Ukrainian refugees (follow-up activities including adaptation training and Estonian language studies).
2. We will improve the availability of high-quality media publications in Russian-language information space.
3. We will guarantee that all those wishing to do so – regardless of their age, language skills or how long they have lived in Estonia – are able to study Estonian free of charge at the desired level. We will enhance the adult learning of Estonian by prioritising target groups and developing online learning platforms.
4. We will continue to support measures aimed at Ida-Viru County via the Ida-Viru County Programme: the cultural attaché and residency programmes and the programme supporting cultural and sports events.

Social policy

SOCIAL PROTECTION

1. We will maintain the tax exemption status of the old-age pension.
2. We will promote saving for retirement by analysing ways to make the second and third pension pillars more flexible and enabling the creation of an employer’s pension. We will raise people’s awareness of options and foster financial skills in preparing for old age. We will create personalised accounts for people to monitor their retirement savings on an ongoing basis in all three pillars.
3. We will conduct comprehensive analyses of family allowances and parental benefits so as to ensure that support measures and services are used for their intended purpose.
4. We will update the subsistence benefit methodology. We will analyse ways of automatically collecting the basic data needed for the payment of the subsistence benefit so as to create a prompt, needs-based support system.
5. We will continue to implement care reforms and take further steps with regard to home care, the construction of service homes and the offering of individualised services in specialist welfare. We will establish quality requirements for welfare services.
6. We will develop flexible care services in order to reduce the burden of care on family members of children and disabled adults and to enable the active participation on the labour market and in social life of people with special needs.
7. We will devise proactive social and health care services wherein the state offers services on the basis of life events and/or need in accordance with available data.
8. We will establish standardised data exchange for the social, health and employment fields which reduces the amount of doubling-up among specialists and ensures that higher-quality assistance is available to people sooner.
9. We will enhance supervisory capabilities within the social field so as to guarantee the protection of people’s rights in social welfare, and we will adopt innovative technological solutions to identify and mitigate risks. We will implement personalised state reforms whose aim is to create an integrated and uniform system of health care and social welfare based on a personal approach, the proactive offering of services, the comprehensive assessment of people and the smart use of big data for people’s well-being.
10. We will design a uniform system to assess people’s need for assistance and, based on this, a minimum-level solution: an integrated package of social, health care and labour market services offered both in person and as teleservices.
11. We will transfer Astangu Vocational Rehabilitation Centre from the area of responsibility of the Ministry of Social Affairs to that of the Ministry of Education and Research with the aim of supporting the inclusion in vocational education of young people with special needs and the role that Astangu plays as a centre of excellence in the field of education.
12. We will conduct an analysis of the provision and case management of public services in the social and health fields for the development of a new organisation model which guarantees the sustainability of activities even in conditions of a shortage of labour. We will reinforce the role of major centres in the provision of integrated social, health and education services.
13. With the support of research grants and foreign funding we will launch a social welfare innovation programme with the aim of identifying new technologies that can be used to reduce care needs and the burden of care.
14. Public space must be accessible to everyone who lives in Estonia, and in shaping the living environment we must be guided by the recommendations of the accessibility taskforce.
15. We will increase the use of sign language and both visual and audio description at state-funded and cultural events and in agencies and institutions.
16. We will amend the Family Benefits Act so that funds can be allocated for the creation of a fairer and more cost-effective support system.
17. We will boost state funding for the treatment of children with rare diseases.
18. We will compensate sick days and care days for parents returning to work after parental leave on the basis of their previous income, not on the basis of the minimum rate of pay.
19. We will establish a comprehensive support package for single parents, raising the maintenance allowance to 200 euros per month and guaranteeing children who have lost a parent fairer support in place of the survivor’s pension.
20. We will ensure the state funding of support services for families raising children who have no parental care.
21. We will channel additional funding into rehabilitation and support services for children with special needs.
22. We will guarantee the right of those who have been adopted to know their origins.
23. We will support the fulfilment of the role of guardian by reducing unnecessary bureaucracy.
24. We will ensure the sustainable funding of prevention programmes aimed at children and families.

MENTAL HEALTH

1. We will establish evidence-based, in-person and digital psychosocial interventions facilitating immediate assistance in the mental health support system.
2. We will develop solutions across sectors to improve the mental health of children and young adults. We will boost the availability of the school psychologist service.
3. We will design a functioning monitoring system in order to determine the effectiveness of activities aimed at supporting people’s mental health.
4. We will expand the availability of mental health consultation and accompanying services.
5. We will continue to support programmes aimed at averting mental health issues and risk behaviour.
6. We will offer education and youth workers training on how to offer mental health first aid.
7. Working with a variety of parties we will compile a long-term plan for the improvement of the provision of higher-stage mental health services, including treatment centres and day care.

HEALTH CARE

1. We will conduct an analysis of the funding of health care by the end of 2023 with the aim of guaranteeing the broader-based funding and sustainability of health care. We will look for ways of including private funding in health care. We will support the continuation of solidarity-based health insurance.
2. We will update digital health care solutions and develop personalised health records in which people will see health information, costs and ways of obtaining health advice. The aim is to focus more attention and resources on the prevention of illnesses and patient-centric health care.
3. We will review the development needs of the Estonian hospital network, taking the results of the ‘Person-centred and integrated hospital network 2040’ report as a basis for our analysis. We will develop a comprehensive health care network which requires greater integration between primary-level health care, the hospital network and the emergency medicine network.
4. We will make it legally simpler to draw up a patient’s last will and testament.
5. With doctors, medical ethics experts, patients’ organisations and other parties we will launch an analysis of the definition of end-of-life decisions.
6. Working with providers of health care services, the Estonian Stockpiling Agency and the Estonian Defence Forces we will establish a system to ensure a sufficient stock of health care supplies.
7. We will increase the rate of compensation for dental work.

State governance and political issues

1. We will continue to privatise non-strategic enterprises in which the state is a stakeholder and, by the end of 2023, draw up a list of the enterprises to be privatised.
2. We will review the tasks of existing foundations and consolidate them, where possible. We will make it obligatory for the heads of foundations to declare their economic interests.
3. We will amend the funding model of the Competition Authority and the Consumer Protection and Technical Regulatory Authority in such a way that market participants are involved in the financing of supervision, and we will thereby reinforce the supervisory capabilities of both agencies.
4. We will enhance supervision of political parties and organisations in order to guarantee honesty and transparency within political competition. We will establish a regulation for political associations which are not linked to political parties.
5. We will amend the law by implementing a rule that any political party punished under criminal law shall have its state budget support reduced.
6. We will update the President of the Republic Election Act to enable candidates to be nominated earlier, and we will seek political consensus within the Riigikogu to amend the organisation of the election of the President of the Republic.
7. We will amend parliamentary electoral districts so as to ensure full national representation and balance between districts. To do this we will take the proposals of the National Electoral Committee as our basis and make decisions throughout 2023.
8. All ministers will assume responsibility for finding ways of cutting costs and will prepare a plan for these reforms prior to discussions on the state budget for 2024.
9. The coalition will set itself the goal of improving the political working culture of the Riigikogu and in general.
10. We will add to the regulation on lobbyists so that their financiers are also known. We will set ourselves the objective of establishing best practice for the Riigikogu in communicating with lobbyists.
11. We will set two terms as the maximum time in office for secretaries-general and deputy secretaries-general and make employment contracts for department heads fixed-term.
12. We will seek political consensus within the Riigikogu to lower the voting age in parliamentary elections so as to allow Estonian citizens aged 16 and 17 to take part.
13. We will limit over-regulation and reduce bureaucracy.
14. We will abolish the positions of Minister of Public Administration and Minister of Entrepreneurship and Information Technology. We will reorganise the division of work between ministers and ministries so as to more effectively manage the achievement of the goals accompanying the green transition and to fulfil the political objectives of the governing coalition. (A detailed description of the division of work is set out in Annex 1.)