Agriculture and rural life
200 Million euros are allocated through the Estonian Rural Development Foundation to mitigate the economic impact on farmers:
- loan guarantees to the agricultural and food sector and for loans already granted to farmers (a total budget of 50 million euros).
- revolving business loan to companies operating in rural areas to overcome liquidity problems caused by the outbreak of coronavirus (total budget of 100 million euros).
- land capital support for owners of agricultural land for sale-and-leaseback transactions to overcome liquidity problems caused by the outbreak of the coronavirus (a total budget of 50 million euros).
More information about the Estonian Rural Development Foundation can be found on their homepage.
The budget for support measures for the farmer's replacement service to cover a period of absence, is increased by 0.5 Million euros to ensure that producers will be replaced if the virus spreads. In addition to livestock farmers, also the crop sector is added.
Last updated: 13.07.2020 09:01
Did this response answer your question?
Common Agricultural Policy
A derogation has been granted, according to which advance payments for direct payments under the Common Agricultural Policy may be made to beneficiaries for up to 70% (the rule is up to 50%) in 2020 and advance payments for area and animal-based rural development support for up to 85% (the rule is up to 75%).
A derogation has also been granted for 2020, according to which advance payments of direct payments can be made after completion of the required administrative checks, but before completion of the on-the-spot checks Under the rules, the advance payments of direct payments can only be made after the administrative and on-the-spot checks have been completed. Advance payments for area and animal-based rural development support can be made after administrative checks have been completed, but before the on-the-spot checks have been completed, in accordance with the rules already in force.
The control provisions of the common agricultural policy support have been relaxed for 2020. For example, it is possible to replace the physical checks required for area-based payments, in particular on-the-spot checks, with a review of orthophotos or other relevant evidence; to make the required on-the-spot checks for animal-based payments at any time; to reduce the sampe size of annual on-the-spot checks for area-based payments (from at least 5% to 3%); replace the required control visits and on-the-spot checks for other rural development support (not area or animal-based) with appropriate evidence provided by the beneficiaries themselves (e.g. geo-tagged photos) and to reduce the control samples for annual on-the-spot checks and follow-up checks for non-area and animal-based rural development support (from at least 5% to at least 3% and from at least 1% to at least 0.6%, respectively).
Common Fisheries Policy
The European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF) can as of February 1 until the end of a year, as a temporary measure, provided the eligibility criteria have been met, compensate for losses caused by a reduction in sales revenues to aquaculture establishments and small-and medium sized enterprises engaged in fish processing, and for losses caused by a loss of income for professional fishing companies that have been engaged in fishing for at least 120 days in 2018 and 2019, in the event of temporary suspension of fishing activities.
In addition, it will be possible to compensate for producer organisations for the costs associated with the storage of fish in 2020 if the produce cannot be sold. Amendments to the EMFF Regulation also allow Member States to implement the EMFF budget in a more flexible manner.
Last updated: 01.05.2020 14:41
Did this response answer your question?
If you get employment compensation from the Estonian Unemployment Fund because of reduced employment or reduced income, you can work at the same time for another employer, such as an agricultural business.
If you have lost your work and you have been registered as unemployed , and you receive unemployment insurance benefit or an unemployment benefit, then based on the rules currently in force, you cannot work at the same time.
Additional information, please contact tth@tuotukassa.ee or 15501.
Last updated: 30.04.2020 15:58
Did this response answer your question?
First you should contact the Estonian Unemployment Fund Eesti Töötukassa, and find the temporary jobs site OnlineExpo.
Depending on your specific requirement, you may also consider other platforms, including
Last updated: 30.04.2020 15:49
Did this response answer your question?
After contact with animals, hands need to be washed with soap and water. Complying with elementary hygiene requirements also helps to protect from different regular bacteria, like E.coli and salmonella, that can transfer from animals to humans.
An employee of a meat processing company, a veterinary carrying out checks of animals and food in the market, a market employee and an employee working with live animals on a farm and processing animal products should, in addition to frequent hand washing, turn additional attention to the following:
- Work clothing and gloves should be used when handling animals and fresh meat.
- The equipment used and the work station should be regularly disinfected (at least once a day).
- Protective clothing should be removed and washed at the end of work. It is recommended that the work clothes/protective clothes and other work equipment be kept at the place of work and washed on site.
More information on the web page of the Agriculture and and Food Board. (January 1, 2021, the Veterinary and Food Board was merged with Agriculture Board as Agriculture and Food Board).
Last updated: 05.01.2021 15:39
Did this response answer your question?
In order to prevent the coronavirus:
- Avoid close contacts.
- Follow safe food management practices
- Clean and disinfect surfaces,
- Ensure proper hygiene and
- Comply with normal cleaning and ventilation requirements.
To protect your employees, monitor their health status.
- If possible, recommend that employees keep at least 2 metres distance from each other.
- Minimise the exposure of employees belonging to risk groups to other employees.
- In case of risk of infection, clean and disinfect the company premises to prevent the spread of the disease among employees.
Create plenty of opportunities for employees to disinfect and wash their hands.
- Hands should be washed with warm water and soap for at least 20 seconds and at least every 2 hours.
- Hands should be washed and sanitised before and after the use of rubber gloves.
- Disinfectants must be in a visible place and easily accessible for the employees.
Wash the working clothes (including textile gloves) after each shift, if possible
- Wash the clothes at the highest temperature allowed for the fabric.
- Clean the footwear after each shift.
- Use disposable working clothes, if possible.
More information can be found on the website of the Agriculture and Food Board (January 1, 2021, the Veterinary and Food Board was merged with the Agriculture Board as Agriculture and Food Board).
Last updated: 05.01.2021 15:39
Did this response answer your question?