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Environmental Fees Specified by a New Act
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Today, on 8
September, the Government of the Republic approved the draft
Environmental Fees Act which will adjust and specify the issues
pertaining to use of natural resources and release of pollutants into
the environment.
The aim of the Environmental Fees Act is to
combine in a single comprehensive act of legislation the bases for
implementing environmental fees and the regulations concerning the
calculation and payment of the fees, the use of money received, and
the checking and reporting of the fees, which so far was provided in
several different acts and implementing legislation. The new act also
determines the extent to which the use of the environment is
chargeable and establishes the rates of pollution charge until the
year 2009.
Environmental fees have to be paid in Estonia for
the right to use all the main natural resources belonging to the
state and for releasing pollutants and waste into the environment. So
far, the application and payment of environmental fees has been
provided in single provisions of seven acts of legislation and
implementing legislation established on the basis of these acts.
Due
to such a great number of acts, the regulation of many aspects of
environmental fees has been insufficient or was missing. Current acts
of legislation have also failed to provide, to a sufficient extent,
the rights and obligations of persons in private law and officials
acting in the name of the state with regard to the implementation of
environmental fees. This has caused problems, misunderstandings and
uncertainty and has made the work of relevant institutions more
difficult.
Environmental fees have been implemented in Estonia
already since 1991, but so far the positive impact of the fees on the
environment has been insufficient as the rates of the fees have been
too low. The current draft act makes provision for an increase in the
rates so as to contribute to environmental protection much more
efficiently than before.
The Environmental Fees Act will
enter into force on 1 January 2006. The act will repeal the Pollution
Charge Act and the Use of Money Collected for the Use of the
Environment and some sections of the Water Act, Earth’s Crust Act,
Fishing Act, Forest Act and Hunting Act.
Environmental fees
are in essence pollution charges and charges for using natural
resources. Pollution charges are payable for waste disposal
and for releasing pollutants from stationary sources of
pollution into ambient air, groundwater, water bodies or soil.
Fees for the right of use are payable for mineral rights, special use
of water, fishing right, regeneration cutting of standing crop and
for the right to use hunting districts.
Further
information:
Eva Kraav
Adviser on Environmental Economics and
Control, Ministry of the Environment
Phone (+372) 6262 807
E-mail:
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Elo Kalmet
Public Relations Specialist, Ministry of the
Environment
Phone (+372) 626 2908; GSM (+372) 517 5077
E-mail:
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