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Ref. CG-PR017 (2017)

Local democracy in Estonia

Strasbourg, 30 March 2017 - The Congress adopted a recommendation on local democracy in Estonia on 29 March 2017, following a monitoring visit to the cities of Tallinn, Paide and Jõhvi by the rapporteurs, Henrik Hammar, (Sweden, EPP/CCE) and Leendert Verbeek, (Netherlands, SOC) from 6 to 8 September 2016. The rapporteurs welcomed the initiatives of the Estonian institutions to start a territorial reform process on local and state level and revision of the revision of the State Budget Law that strengthens the interaction between the state and local authorities on budgetary items. "We are optimistic about the perspectives of the continuation of the reform projects that may improve the situation of both local authorities and the citizens of Estonia," Mr Hammar stated.

The Congress nevertheless recommends that the Estonian authorities clarify their legislation concerning the distribution of functions between local government and State and that they change the domestic legislation in order to give local authorities more financial autonomy. "We suggest transferring a maximum of competences to the local level with concomitant financial resources and we recommend that the Estonian authorities increase the local share in state taxes," added Mr Verbeek. “As county governments will cease to exist on first of January 2018, we will give all local tasks fulfilled now by current counties to local governments." explained Mihhail Korb, Minister of public administration of Estonia, addressing the Session. "New tasks come with sufficient funding. This is an important, key principle in our constitution and in Charter," he added.

Estonia ratified the European Charter of Local Self Government in 1994. The countries which have ratified the Charter are bound by its provisions. The Charter requires compliance with a minimum number of rights, which form the European bedrock of local self-government. The Congress of Local and Regional Authorities makes sure that these principles are observed.

Recommendation 401 (2017) - Local democracy in Estonia

Presentation by Henrik Hammar

Video - Speech Mihhail Korb

File 32nd Session

Congress of Local and Regional Authorities

Planning, Coordination and institutional Communication Unit

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The Congress has two chambers, the Chamber of Local Authorities and the Chamber of Regions. It brings together 324 full and 324 substitute members representing more than 200 000 European territorial communities.

President of the Congress: Gudrun Mosler-Törnström (Austria, SOC), President of the Chamber of Local Authorities: Anders Knape (Sweden, EPP/CCE), President of the Chamber of Regions: Gunn Marit Helgesen (Norway, EPP-CCE)

Political Groups: Socialist Group (SOC), Group of the European People’s Party (EPP/CCE), Independent and Liberal Democrat Group (ILDG), European Conservatives & Reformists Group  (ECR)