Republic of Estonia
Capital: Tallinn HDI: 0.84 (33rd)
Language: Estonian GDP (PPP): $35.62 billion
Population: ~ 1.3 million
Currency: Euro
Estonia is a prosperous Baltic nation, and because of its growth rate was dubbed one of the Baltic tigers. As a former soviet bloc country, the Estonian society and economy has gone through a great upheaval since the fall of the Iron Curtain. The government has made some of the greatest strides in advancing human rights of any of the former communist states of Europe. The country ranked 8th in the world for economic freedom and is known for its sound fiscal policies and low public debt. While the country suffered during the financial crisis that began in 2008, Estonia had one of the fastest recoveries of any European country and the fastest post-recession growth rate of the Baltic Nations.
RESEARCH
Economic Overview
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Doing Business in Estonia
http://www.doingbusiness.org/data/exploreeconomies/estonia
This economy profile presents the Doing Business indicators for Estonia. To allow useful comparison, it also provides data for other selected economies (comparator economies) for each indicator. The data in this report are current as of June 1, 2014 (except for the paying taxes indicators, which cover the period January–December 2013).
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Estonia – Economic forecast summary
http://www.oecd.org/eco/outlook/estonia-economic-forecast-summary.htm
Economic growth is projected to strengthen gradually. Strong wage growth will fuel private consumption and investment will recover somewhat. Export growth will pick up only slowly, however, hampered by weak economic growth in some of Estonia’s main trading partners.
Industry Trends & Business Climate
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A Dynamic Economy
http://estonia.eu/about-estonia/economy-a-it/a-dynamic-economy.html
Flexibility and openness are the characteristics and pervasive principles of Estonia’s economic policy. Estonia is an e-country with a favourable business climate and cost advantages that is also open to growth.
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Estonia | Economic Indicators
http://www.tradingeconomics.com/estonia/indicators
Estonian economic indicators and statistics
Establishing a Presence
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Starting a Business in Estonia
http://www.doingbusiness.org/data/exploreeconomies/estonia/starting-a-business
The first section presents the Ease of Doing Business rank (out of 189 economies) and the distance to frontier (DTF)** measure, overall and by topic. The second section summarizes the key indicators for each topic benchmarked against regional averages.
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Establishing a company | Invest in Estonia
http://www.investinestonia.com/en/investment-guide/establishing-a-company
According to the Commercial Code there are five forms of business entities, which are created by entry into the Commercial Register: private limited company, public limited company, general partnership, limited partnership, or commercial association.
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Business types – Company Formation Estonia
http://www.companyincorporationestonia.com/types-of-estonian-companies
Foreign investors who set up companies in Estonia should be informed about all the types of structures and their particularities. Only by knowing the differences between companies, can investors choose the most suited one for their business.
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Business types – Choice of entity and business forms – Estonian Chamber of Commerce
http://www.koda.ee/en/services/business-entities/choice-of-entity-and-business-forms/
The Commercial Code provides for five types of business entities: general partnership (täisühing), limited partnership (usaldusühing), private limited company (osaühing), public limited company (aktsiaselts) and commercial association(tulundusühistu).
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Business Registration Requirements – e-Business Register |
http://www.rik.ee/en/e-business-register
The e-Business Register is one of the first services of the Estonian Centre of Registers and Information Systems, being the basis for developing the Company Registration Portal and the Visualised Business Register.
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Business Registration Requirements – Establishing a company | Invest in Estonia
http://www.investinestonia.com/en/investment-guide/establishing-a-company
Estonian website for business registration information including the types of entities and instructions for registration.
Taxes
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Corporate Taxes – Estonia Corporate Tax Rate
http://www.tradingeconomics.com/estonia/corporate-tax-rate
The Corporate Tax Rate in Estonia stands at 20 percent. Corporate Tax Rate in Estonia averaged 23.62 percent from 1995 until 2015, reaching an all time high of 26 percent in 1996 and a record low of 20 percent in 2015. Corporate Tax Rate in Estonia is reported by the Estonian Tax and Customs Board.
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Value Added Tax (VAT) – Estonian Chamber of Commerce
http://www.koda.ee/en/services/value-added-tax-vat/
The current VAT Act was introduced effective from 1 May 2004 when Estonia joined the EU. VAT as such was introduced in Estonia effective from 1992 and is known in Estonian as “käibemaks”.
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Corporate Taxes – Tax system | Invest in Estonia
http://www.investinestonia.com/en/investment-guide/tax-system
The Estonian tax system consists of national taxes and local taxes collected by local governments in their jurisdiction. National taxes include income tax, social tax, land tax, gambling tax, value-added tax, duty and excise taxes and heavy goods vehicle tax.
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Personal income Taxes – Estonia Personal Income Tax Rate
http://www.tradingeconomics.com/estonia/personal-income-tax-rate
The Personal Income Tax Rate in Estonia stands at 21 percent. Personal Income Tax Rate in Estonia averaged 23.90 percent from 1994 until 2014, reaching an all time high of 26 percent in 1995 and a record low of 21 percent in 2008. Personal Income Tax Rate in Estonia is reported by the Estonian Tax and Customs Board.
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Personal income Taxes – Income tax – eesti.ee
https://www.eesti.ee/eng/tulumaks
There are two kinds of income tax – personal income tax and corporate income tax (income tax of a legal person is also paid by all employers who have non-resident permanent places of activity and offer fringe benefits). Besides paying corporate income tax, you are required as an employer to withhold and pay employees’ income tax to the Tax and Customs Board.
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Value-added tax – eesti.ee
https://www.eesti.ee/eng/kaibemaks
Value-added tax, known as VAT, is levied on goods and services sold in the course of business, import of goods from non-EU countries and acquisition of goods from European Union countries. Value-added tax is paid by the end consumer.
Visas
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Who does not need a visa to visit Estonia?
http://vm.ee/en/who-does-not-need-visa-visit-estonia
Ministry of Foreign Affairs – Nationals of the European Union (EU), the European Economic Area (EEA) and any third-country national holding a residence permit of a Schengen State do not need a visa to enter Estonia.
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Estonia Visa and Passport Requirements – World Travel Guide
http://www.worldtravelguide.net/estonia/passport-visa
Visa information for tourists, students and business
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Work Permits – Residence and work permits for foreign nationals – eesti.ee
https://www.eesti.ee/eng/valismaalased_eestis_ja_meie_valismaal/valismaalased_eestis/valismaalase_tooelu_eestis
A residence permit is needed by residents of third countries and by people with an unknown citizenship status. When a residence permit is provided or renewed, a residence permit card is issued for the foreign national.
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Work Permits – Working in Estonia – Politsei
https://www.politsei.ee/en/teenused/working-in-estonia/
Aliens, who are residing in Estonia on the basis of residence permit, are, in general, permitted to work in Estonia. Starting from 01.09.2013 separate work permits shall not be issued in Estonia any more. The work permits, which have been issued before 01.09.2013, shall lose their legal effect in respect of an alien’s right to be employed or lack of right to be employed in Estonia, and the employment right of such person shall further derive from the Aliens Act.
Infrastructure
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Estonian Transport System – Transestonia
http://www.transestonia.ee/index.php?main_id=76&lang=eng
The Estonian transport system comprises rail, road, maritime, river, and air transport as well as the municipal electrified transport and carriage by pipeline. The infrastructure of national transport has generally been well established; due to high competition, the local logistics and transport companies have reached the western standards in terms of service and quality and have great transport potential.
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Travel & Transportation in Estonia
https://www.visitestonia.com/en/travel-transportation
has information about flights, trains, car hire, ferries, taxis, buses, coaches and even getting around on foot, by bicycle or by boat.
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Telecom/IT – Estonia Infrastructure, power, and communications
http://www.nationsencyclopedia.com/economies/Europe/Estonia-INFRASTRUCTURE-POWER-AND-COMMUNICATIONS.html
The telecommunications market in Estonia is among the most liberalized in Eastern Europe. In 1998 a 49 percent stake in the state-held Eesti Telekom was sold to a consortium of state-controlled Telia (Sweden) and Sonera (Finland), and the government was considering selling the remainder of its stake in the company.
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Telecommunications in Estonia – Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Telecommunications_in_Estonia
The National Telecommunications act in the second period of Estonian independence granted a Monopoly on international and local fixed line telephony to Estonian Telecom (Eesti Telecom). In the process of privatization, a concession was granted to liberalize mobile, CATV and packet-switched telecommunications. This concession was critical for developing a competitive market.
Employer Obligations
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Working conditions – Estonian Chamber of Commerce
http://www.koda.ee/en/services/labour-relations-and-social-security/working-conditions/
Scope of employment regulations including minimum wage, worktime restrictions, employee representation
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Social Insurance – Estonian National social insurance board
http://www.sotsiaalkindlustusamet.ee/?lang=en
Republic of Estonia Social Insurance Board
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Labor Laws – Labour market | Invest in Estonia
http://www.investinestonia.com/en/investment-guide/labour-market
The most important statutes and rules regulating the activities in the labour market are the Constitution of Estonia, Conventions of International Organization of Labour, Employment Contracts Act, Collective Agreements Act, Trade Unions Act and several enactments of the Government and Ministries of Estonia.
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Labor Laws – Employment Contracts Act – Riigi Teataja
https://www.riigiteataja.ee/en/eli/530102013061/consolide
Employment Contracts Act
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Social Insurance – Social security system
http://www.koda.ee/en/services/labour-relations-and-social-security/social-security-system/
The social protection system is made up of two pillars: the social security system that comprises pension insurance, health insurance, child benefits, unemployment benefits and funeral grants; and the social welfare pillar that consists of social assistance cash benefits and social services.
Culture/Living
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Standard of Living – Estonia – OECD Better Life Index
http://www.oecdbetterlifeindex.org/countries/estonia/
Money, while it cannot buy happiness, is an important means to achieving higher living standards. In Estonia, the average household net-adjusted disposable income per capita is USD 15 167 a year, less than the OECD average of USD 25 908 a year.
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Cost of Living in Estonia. Prices in Estonia.
http://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living/country_result.jsp?country=Estonia
Cost of living information includes price indices for rent, food, utilities, transportation, restaurants, clothing and more
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Climate – Weather in Estonia
https://www.visitestonia.com/en/about-estonia/weather-in-estonia
The weather in Estonia is largely dictated by its closeness to the Baltic sea. In the summer the skies are blue and temperatures can reach 30° Celcius and the summer average is a very pleasant 16.4°C. In summer there can be 19 hours of daylight, known locally as the “white nights”.
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Safety – Estonia – US Department of State
http://travel.state.gov/content/passports/english/country/estonia.html
US Department of State – Go to Safety and Security for updates from the Estonian government
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Saffety – What Are the Dangers of Traveling in Estonia?
http://traveltips.usatoday.com/dangers-traveling-estonia-111683.html
Nestled away in Europe’s Baltic region, next to Russia and the Gulf of Finland, Estonia is home to 1.34 million people. Tallinn, the country’s charming capital, is famed for its picturesque old town, exciting nightlife and thriving tech scene.
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Education – Estonian Educational Landscape – estonia.eu
http://estonia.eu/about-estonia/society/estonian-educational-landscape.html
The basic compulsory educational system in Estonia is the nine-year comprehensive school (Estonian põhikool, “basic school”), for which school attendance is mandatory (homeschooling is allowed, but rare).
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Education – Estonian Educational System
http://www.tlu.ee/en/studies/Practical-Information/Estonian-Educational-System
The current Estonian educational system consists of pre-school education, basic education, general secondary education, vocational education and higher education.
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Business Etiquette – Estonia – Business Culture
http://businessculture.org/eastern-europe/estonia/
When doing business in a foreign country it is necessary to be prepared to experience things that are different from your own culture.
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Business Etiquette – Doing Business in Estonia | etiquette
http://www.kwintessential.co.uk/etiquette/doing-business-estonia.html
The dos and don’ts of business etiquette in Estonia
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Climate of the World: Estonia
http://www.weatheronline.co.uk/reports/climate/Estonia.htm
The climate of the Estonia can be described as typical European continental influenced climate with warm, dry summers and fairly severe winters. January is the coldest month with daytime temperatures usually around -5°C, but in some cases winter months can be quite colder with temperatures far below zero, about -20°C or lower and strong, cold northeasterly winds.
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Holidays and observances in Estonia
http://www.timeanddate.com/holidays/estonia/
Schedule of national and seasonal holidays
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Holidays in Estonia – estonia.eu
http://estonia.eu/about-estonia/country/estonian-holidays.html
Estonian Holidays
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Demographics Profile – Estonia
http://www.indexmundi.com/estonia/demographics_profile.html
Demographic information includes population, quality of life, health, sports, technology, energy and the environment
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Demographics – Population by Nationality – estonia.eu
http://estonia.eu/about-estonia/country/population-by-nationality.html
Estonia’s population is 1,340 million people (as of 1.01.2010)…….
Trade
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OEC – Estonia (EST) Exports, Imports, and Trade Partners
https://atlas.media.mit.edu/en/profile/country/est/
Top exports and imports and top destination countries and countries of origin
Housing and Rentals
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Estonia 101: Living in Estonia – Renting a Flat
http://estonia101.blogspot.com/2008/07/finding-flat-for-rent-in-estonia.html
You have decided to come for a bigger stay in Estonia, and don’t want to stay in Hotels or Hostels. You want to rent your own flat. So, what do you do?
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Apartment rental in Estonia
http://www.visitestonia.com/en/holiday-accommodation/apartments
In Estonia a visitor’s apartment is an accommodation establishment with food-preparing facilities which is rented out in its entirety.
Travel
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Travel Trade – Visitestonia.com
http://www.visitestonia.com/en/additional-navigation/travel-trade
As travel industry support body, ETB is part of the Enterprise EstoniaExternal link network and contributes to achieving its goals by implementing business and regional development policies and, in close cooperation with its partners and clients, increase the competitiveness of Estonian business environment. A guide to travel to Tallinn and other cities in Estonia.
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