On 1 January 2006 the Environmental Charges Act came into force. The Act provides for the complete regulation relating to both pollution charges (a charge to be paid for the issue of pollutants or waste into the environment) and environmental fees (a charge to be paid for the use of natural resources, e.g. use of water or mineral resources, fishing, hunting). Until the entry into force of the Environmental Charges Act, the pollution charges were regulated in the Pollution Charge Act, whereas the environmental charges were dealt with in different special Acts (such as the Water Act, the Hunting Act etc). The Act stipulates the basis for calculation, order of payment and the usage purposes of environmental charges. One of the results of the Act is the increase of rates of environmental charges (i.e. both pollution charges and environmental fees).

      For further information please contact Toomas Pikamäe at toomas.pikamae@otsco.ee