Public Health Act
Passed 11.12.2024
Chapter 1 General Provisions
§ 1. Scope of application of Act
(1) This Act regulates the duties of the state and local authorities in the organisation of public health, the duties, restrictions and requirements for ensuring the protection of human health, establishment and maintenance of state databases on the population health, establishment of the Research Ethics Committee and its operating procedures, financing of public health measures, performance of state and administrative oversight of the fulfilment of the requirements laid down in this Act and the liability for non-compliance.
(2) The provisions of the Administrative Procedure Act apply to administrative proceedings prescribed in this Act, taking account of the specifications provided for in this Act.
§ 2. Purpose of Act
The purpose of this Act is to ensure the protection of human health, create conditions for extending life expectancy and healthy life years, to prevent and decrease undesirable health effects, and to increase health equality among the population, thereby improving population health.
§ 3. Health, population health and the public
(1) Health is a state of physical, mental and social well-being of a person.
(2) Population health is the health status of the residents of a certain territory or of different population groups.
(3) The public is a circle of previously undefined natural and legal persons. The public also includes social media groups, websites, forums and the like.
§ 4. Living environment, determinant of health, and health effects
(1) For the purposes of this Act, living environment means the aggregate of factors in the socio-economic, psychosocial, natural and artificial environment surrounding a person that affects or may affect human health.
(2) Determinant of health means a risk or protective factor that can have undesirable or desirable effects on the health behaviour, health attitudes, and health of a person or a population. The effects of a risk factor depend on the probability of its realisation.
(3) Health effects are changes in a person’s body, including organs, tissues and cells or their functioning, behaviour, attitudes and psychosocial functioning, that are caused by a determinant of health and that promote or harm human health.
§ 5. Public health and its principles and measures
(1) Public health means an intersectoral field which involves all organised activities improving the population health and preventing or decreasing undesirable health effects with the aim of extending life expectancy of residents, improving their quality of life and decreasing health inequality;
(2) Public health policy and measures are designed and implemented in accordance with the following principles:
1) the principle of shared responsibility: the principle of shared responsibility which requires all people, organizations, communities and sectors to assume responsibility for population health;
2) the principle of a high level health protection which requires that the impact of any decision on the population health is taken into account and that human health is highly valued.
(3) The measures of public health are:
1) monitoring and analysing population health;
2) health empowerment of residents, organisations and communities, including access to evidence-based health information and the improvement of health literacy of the population;
3) the development of living environment that supports the health, well-being and safety of the residents;
4) the implementation of health promotion and environmental health measures and other measures that support population health.
§ 6. Health promotion and its measures
(1) Health promotion is a branch of public health whose measures aim to reduce risk factors, prevent and control their effects, and increase protective factors in order to enable residents to gain greater control over their health and thereby strengthen it.
(2) Health promotion measures are:
1) prevention and reduction of injuries;
2) prevention and reduction of the spread of communicable diseases;
3) prevention and reduction of the use of intoxicative and addictive substances;
4) promotion of a balanced diet and physical activity and reduction of a sedentary lifestyle;
5) promotion of mental health;
6) promotion of sexual health;
(3) The prevention of communicable diseases and the control of their effects on the population health are provided for in the Communicable Diseases Prevention and Control Act.
§ 7. Environmental health, hazards and health risks, and environmental health measures
(1) Environmental health is a branch of public health whose measures aim to assess the effects of environmental determinants of health, including environmental hazards (hereinafter referred to as hazards) that directly or indirectly affect human health, and to control the health risks caused by them and prevent undesirable health effects.
(2) For the purposes of this Act, hazards are physical, chemical or biological factors arising from the natural or artificial environment, which, due to their inherent properties, may directly or indirectly have undesirable health effects on humans.
(3) For the purposes of this Act, health risk is the probability of an undesirable effect occurring when the human body is exposed to a hazard, and the extent of this effect depends on the inherent properties of the hazard and the duration and degree of exposure to it.
(4) Environmental health measures are:
1) identification of hazards and their inherent characteristics;
2) assessment and management of health risks arising from a hazard;
3) assessing the health effects of a hazard and reducing undesirable health effects;
4) increasing awareness of hazards, their undesirable health effects and the possibilities for preventing hazards.
§ 8. Health and well-being profile, information to be provided therein and updating thereof
(1) The health and well-being profile is the source document of strategic planning in which local authorities provide at least the following information for the performance of the duties provided for in clause 2 of subsection 1 of § 13 of this Act:
1) general data on the population health of a county or region and the description and analysis of the risk and protective factors present in that territory across the curve of life;
2) the strategic public health objectives of the county or region;
3) a summary of the main health and well-being indicators and risk and protective factors for the county or region;
4) action plan to achieve the objectives.
(2) The preparation and implementation of the health and well-being profile is based on the guidelines prepared by the authority within the area of government of the Ministry of Social Affairs and published on the website of the authority within the area of government of the Ministry of Social Affairs.
(3) Based on the guidelines specified in subsection 2 of this section, the authority within the area of government of the Ministry of Social Affairs advises local governments upon preparation of the health and well-being profile, publishes, at least once every four years, short reviews of the health and well-being of counties and co-ordinates national cooperation in the preparation of health and well-being profiles and in achieving the objectives set.
(4) The health and well-being profile preparer assesses the need to update the health and well-being profile at least once every four years.
Chapter 2 Duties of the State and Local Authorities in the Organisation of Public Health
§ 9. Duties of the Government of the Republic
The duty of the Government of the Republic in the organisation of public health, in addition to drafting, implementing and amending the strategic development documents provided for in the State Budget Act, is to draft and approve other development documents related to public health and to ensure sustainable financing of the field.
§ 10. Duties of the ministries
(1) The ministries ensure the implementation of public health measures within their area of government and within the limits of their competence.
(2) In planning and implementing each relevant decision and activity in their area of government, the ministries ensure that the impact on population health is assessed and taken account of.
§ 11. The duties of the Ministry of Social Affairs and its area of government
The duties of the Ministry of Social Affairs and its area of government in the organisation of public health are:
1) shaping public health policy, drafting legislation and strategies, analysing the population health and health determinants and organising research and development activities for this purpose, establishing databases and enabling them to be maintained;
2) participating in the preparation of draft legislation, policy documents and strategies in areas closely related to public health, with the aim of ensuring that health impact is assessed and taken account of in all relevant areas;
3) leading or participating in national and international co-operation necessary for the development of public health policy;
4) designing and organising the implementation of health promotion and environmental health measures and other measures supporting population health in their area of government;
5) developing guidelines and e-solutions and organising in-service training necessary for the development and management of public health and areas closely related thereto, and for improving the health literacy of the residents;
6) advising state and local government agencies and individuals on reducing and managing risk factors, preventing their effects, increasing protective factors, and designing a physical and social environment that supports health, well-being, and security, in accordance with their competence and main duties;
7) performing other duties arising from laws and legislation issued on the basis thereof that are necessary for the organisation of public health.
§ 12. Duties of the Health Board at the European and international level and the rights of the Health Board in providing paid services
(1) The Health Board performs:
1) the duties of the competent authority in accordance with Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council on cosmetic products (OJ L 342, 22.12.2009, p. 59–209);
2) the duties of the competent authority in accordance with Regulation (EU) 2022/2371 of the European Parliament and of the Council on serious cross-border threats to health and repealing Decision No 1082/2013/EU (OJ L 314, 6.12.2022, p. 26–63);
3) the duties of the national contact point in accordance with the International Health Regulations of the World Health Organization.
(2) The Health Board may provide paid services related to its principal activity for the determination and risk assessment of chemical, biological and physical hazards if this does not prevent the performance of its duties arising from its constitutive regulations.
(3) The Health Board's fee for the determination and risk assessment of one chemical, biological or physical hazard does not exceed 3,000 euros.
(4) The procedure and price list for the provision of paid services of the Health Board is established by a regulation of the minister in charge of the policy sector, based on the labour, material, equipment and overhead costs necessary for the provision of the service.
(5) The Health Board has the right to calculate the cost of a analysis not listed in the price list established pursuant to subsection 4 of this section based on the price of a similar analysis.
§ 13. The duties of the local authorities
(1) The joint duties of the local authorities are:
1) the development of a living environment that supports the health, well-being and safety of the residents;
2) preparing the health and well-being profile of the county or region and taking account of the information contained therein upon preparation of the development strategy of the county or region;
3) the implementation of health promotion and environmental health measures in the county or region to at least mitigate the risk factors reflected in the health and well-being profile and strengthen protective factors, unless the implementation of environmental health measures is regulated otherwise by a special act;
4) supporting the implementation of national public health measures in a county or region;
5) creating networks necessary for the management of public health and areas closely related thereto in a county or region and organising their work.
(2) The duties of the local authorities are:
1) the development of a physical and social environment that supports the health, well-being and safety of the residents, including planning and implementing relevant decisions and activities, assessing and taking account of their impact on population health;
2) identifying information necessary for planning public health measures in its administrative territory concerning the state, trends and needs of population health;
3) implementing health promotion and environmental health measures in its administrative territory at least to mitigate the main risk factors and strengthen protective factors, unless the implementation of environmental health measures is regulated otherwise by a special act;
4) creating networks necessary for the management of public health and areas closely related thereto in a local authority and organising their work.
Chapter 3 Duties, Restrictions and Requirements for the Protection of Human Health
§ 14. Requirement to notify of health hazards
(1) A health care provider notifies immediately the Health Board of any disease that is unusual or unexpected for the relevant place and time, or that causes or may cause high morbidity or mortality in people, or the extent of which expands or may expand rapidly.
(2) The holder of information necessary for monitoring the distribution, spread, changes in severity and other circumstances of the disease specified in subsection 1 of this section is required to submit relevant data, including personal data, if necessary, at the request of the Health Board.
§ 15. Requirements and restrictions for products, services and activities offered for the purpose of maintaining, protecting, promoting or improving human health
(1) No legal or natural person may, for the purpose of maintaining, protecting, promoting or improving human health, invite the public to use plants and animals or any substances and mixtures by applying them to or introducing them into the body if their use entails a risk to the life, health or living environment of the person, unless otherwise regulated by a special act.
(2) When making a service or activity available to the public free of charge or for a fee for the purposes specified in subsection 1 of this section, a service provider who uses a plant or animal in such activities must ensure, based on scientific data or if such circumstance is generally known, that the plant or animal or their part, secretion or other similar substance is safe for health at the time of use, unless otherwise regulated by a special act.
(3) The requirements established in this Act for the use of plants also apply to the use of fungi, algae, lichens and the like, as well as to the use of its secretion or part, fresh or preserved in any form, including chopped, powdered or ground.
(4) The requirements established in this Act for the use of an animal, including any vertebrate or invertebrate animal, also apply to the use of a microorganism, as well as to the use of an organ, part or secretion separated from them, whether fresh, dried or preserved in any form, including chopped, powdered or ground.
(5) In the case of making a service, activity, plant or animal available to the public for the purposes specified in subsection 1 of this section free of charge or for a fee, the use of a poisonous plant or animal is permitted only on the recommendation given by a health care provider in a form which can be reproduced in writing, in the presence of the health care provider or in accordance with a special act.
(6) When making a product, service or activity available for the purposes specified in subsection 1 of this section free of charge or for a fee, it is prohibited to sell and use substances and mixtures classified as hazardous on the basis of Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council on classification, labelling and packaging of substances and mixtures, amending and repealing Directives 67/548/EEC and 1999/45/EC, and amending Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006 (OJ L 353, 31.12.2008, p. 1–1355), unless otherwise regulated by a special act.
(7) The restriction provided for in subsection 6 of this section also applies to chemicals classified as hazardous within the meaning of Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council that are the precursors of mixtures prepared for the purposes specified in subsection 1, even if the resulting mixture itself is not classified as hazardous within the meaning of Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council, unless otherwise regulated by a special act.
§ 16. Requirements for physical hazards to the living environment
(1) For the purposes of this Act, physical hazards are vibration, non-ionising radiation and noise, including ultrasound and infrasound.
(2) The level of physical hazards in the physical and social environment must be safe for human health and the physical indicators characterising them must comply with the established limit values.
(3) The holder of a source of a physical hazard ensures that the source complies with the established requirements.
(4) More detailed requirements for the safety of non-ionizing radiation in residential and recreational areas, residential buildings and other places where it is necessary to establish stricter requirements in terms of physical hazards, and methods for measuring the level thereof, are established by a regulation of the minister in charge of the policy sector.
(5) More detailed requirements for the safety of indoor vibration and noise, including ultrasound and infrasound, in residential buildings and other buildings where it is necessary to establish stricter requirements in terms of physical hazards, and methods for measuring the levels thereof are established by a regulation of the minister in charge of the policy sector.
§ 17. Requirements for mud and peat used in balneological procedures and their handling
(1) Natural mud and peat that are safe for human health may be used in balneological procedures.
(2) More detailed requirements for natural mud and peat used in balneological procedures, as well as their handling and labelling, are established by a regulation of the minister in charge of the policy sector.
§ 18. Requirements and restrictions on the production, placing on the market, making available and use of cosmetic products
(1) An undertaking within the meaning of the General Part of the Economic Activities Code Act (hereinafter undertaking) who is responsible for the production, placing on the market or making available of a cosmetic product ensures compliance with the relevant requirements set out in Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council and in Commission Regulation (EU) No 655/2013 laying down common criteria for the justification of claims used in relation to cosmetic products (OJ L 190, 11.7.2013, p 31–34).
(2) An undertaking that manufactures, imports or distributes a cosmetic product or uses it in professional activities and a health care provider immediately inform the Health Board, in accordance with Article 23 of Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council, of any serious undesirable effect that has occurred during the use of the cosmetic product.
(3) The person responsible for making available a cosmetic product referred to in subsection 4 of Article 19 of Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council provides the information required by subsection 1 of Article 19 of that Regulation on the container or packaging of the product or on the enclosed information leaflet.
(4) An undertaking wishing to sell teeth whitening products referred to in entry 12e of Annex III to Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council submits a notice of economic activities in the area of activity of wholesale trade. These teeth whitening products may only be sold to dentists through wholesale trade.
(5) In addition to the provisions of the General Part of the Economic activities Code Act, the notice of economic activities specified in subsection 4 of this section provides the following information:
1) the place or places of business;
2) the website address in case of electronic commerce;
3) the name of the goods specified in subsection 4 of this section.
§ 19. Requirements and restrictions on the provision of beauty and personal services
(1) For the purposes of this Act, beauty and personal services (hereinafter beauty services) are hairdressing, beautician, solarium, tattoo, permanent make-up and body piercing services and nail, eyelash and eyebrow technician services.
(2) The person directly providing the beauty service must have proven knowledge and skills to provide the service safely and prevent serious undesirable effects.
(3) A tanning and tattoo service provider is prohibited from providing tanning and tattoo services to minors.
(4) It is prohibited to provide tattoo services where the tattoo ink is injected or inserted into the eyeball.
(5) In order to comply with the prohibition provided for in subsection 3 of this section, a provider of tanning and tattoo services may require the presentation of an identity document and, if the aforementioned document is not presented, may refuse to provide the service.
(6) More detailed requirements for beauty service providers, their knowledge and skills, and the provision of beauty services, including the premises and devices for the provision of services, is established by a regulation of the minister in charge of the policy sector.
§ 20. Requirements for the provision of swimming and bathing services
(1) A person or institution that provides swimming and bathing services in a swimming hall, a pool or water park for a fee or free of charge:
1) ensures the safe conditions of use, compliance with the requirements of the water used, inspection and surveys of the water in an accredited laboratory;
2) discloses information concerning the quality indicators of the water used in swimming halls, pools or water parks.
(2) More detailed requirements for swimming halls, pools and water parks and their premises, safety, pool water and service provision are established by a regulation of the minister in charge of the policy sector.
§ 21. Requirements for the physical and social environment where social services are provided
(1) In the premises and area which are made available to persons entitled to receive social services, where social services are provided and where this Act is referred to in the Social Welfare Act or a regulation established on the basis thereof, the physical and social environment must be safe and health-supporting for the health of the persons staying there.
(2) In order to develop a safe and health-supporting physical and social environment, health risks arising from the physical and social environment must be assessed and managed upon the provision of social services, risk factors must be reduced and their effects prevented.
(3) More detailed requirements for the physical and social environment where the social services are provided and for managing health risks and reducing risk factors in that physical and social environment are established by a regulation of the minister in charge of the policy sector.
§ 22. Requirements for catering and food offered for sale in health care and educational institutions, permanent and project youth camps, detention facilities and in the provision of social services
(1) Catering in the course of the provision of social services in respect of which this Act is referred to in the Social Welfare Act or in a regulation established on the basis thereof, and catering in hospitals, childcare and kindergartens, in general education schools and vocational education institutions in the form of full-time study, in permanent and project youth camps and custodial institutions must be age-appropriate, regular and in accordance with the state of health of the person being catered for and must cover the part of their daily food energy and nutrient needs corresponding to the time they spend in the institution.
(2) Drinking water that meets the requirements established under the Water Act must be available in a visible place and free of charge in the institution specified in subsection 1 of this section and in the case of the provision of social services.
(3) More detailed requirements for catering and documenting it in hospitals and custodial institutions and when providing social services to adults are established by a regulation of the minister in charge of the policy sector.
(4) More detailed requirements for catering and documenting it in childcare and kindergarten, in general education schools and vocational educational institutions in the form of full-time study, in the provision of social services to children and in permanent and project camps is established by a regulation of the Government of the Republic.
(5) The head of a general education school and vocational educational institution establishes the requirements and restrictions for food offered for sale at the school, taking account of the guidelines prepared by the authority within the area of government of the Ministry of Social Affairs and published on the website of the authority within the area of government of the Ministry of Social Affairs. The requirements and restrictions are submitted to the board of trustees or the council for their opinion before they are established.
Chapter 4 State Databases on Population Health
§ 23. State databases on population health
(1) The constitutive regulations of the database or information system specified in §§ 24–29 of this Act set out:
1) the processor if a processor has been determined, and the functions of processors;
2) the specific composition of the collected data and the procedure of entry thereof into the database;
3) the persons submitting data, the data received therefrom and the manner of submission of data;
4) the procedure of access to and issue of data;
5) the specific preservation procedure of data, if necessary;
6) other organisational issues.
(2) Personal data from the statistical data database or information system specified in §§ 24–28 of this Act are not disclosed to third parties, except upon the person’s manifestation of intention, in the case and in the manner specified in § 6 of the Personal Data Protection Act, and for the purpose of conducting supervisory proceedings to ensure the protection of personal data.
(3) In order to achieve the purpose of maintaining the database or information system specified in §§ 24–28 of this Act, the database or information system may process the person’s previous general data such as given name and surname, personal identification code and sex.
(4) The restriction on access to the personal data of the database or information system specified in §§ 24–28 of this Act is valid for an unspecified term.
(5) If relevant health data from a health information system is transmitted to a database or information system specified in §§ 24–28 of this Act, the exact composition of the data to be transmitted is set out in the constitutive regulations of the specific database or information system.
§ 24. Estonian Cancer Registry
(1) The Estonian Cancer Registry is a database which is maintained for analysing the cancer morbidity, prevalence of cancer and survival of cancer patients, organising health services and cancer control, developing the health policy, evaluating the diagnostics and treatment as well as for statistical and scientific research, including epidemiological research purposes.
(2) Health care providers who diagnose cancer cases both before and after death and treat cancer patients, as well as forensic experts from the state forensic institution are obliged to submit data to the Estonian Cancer Registry.
(3) The following data is processed in the Estonian Cancer Registry:
1) the general personal data, time spent in Estonia, nationality and the name of the parent of the person;
2) health data of a cancer patient;
3) time and cause of death of the person;
4) data of the person submitting the data.
(4) Data is stored in the Estonian Cancer Registry for an unspecified term. Logs and underlying data are stored in accordance with the constitutive regulations.
(5) The controller of the Estonian Cancer Registry is the National Institute for Health Development.
(6) The Estonian Cancer Registry is founded and the constitutive regulations thereof are established by a regulation of the minister in charge of the policy sector.
§ 25. Estonian Cancer Screening Registry
(1) The Estonian Cancer Screening Registry is a database which is maintained for organising cancer screenings, analysing the tests connected with screenings and post-screening treatment data, early detection of cancer, evaluating the quality and efficiency of screenings and also for developing the health policy as well as for statistical and scientific research, including epidemiological research purposes.
(2) All health care providers performing cancer screenings and health care providers having tested and treated the participants in screenings have the obligation to submit data to the Estonian Cancer Screening Registry through the health information system.
(3) The following data is processed in the Estonian Cancer Screening Registry:
1) the general personal data, time spent in Estonia, the existence of health insurance of the person;
2) the sent invitations and repeated invitations for screening;
3) the health data of a person belonging to the screening target group and any examination, analysis or procedure performed on a person in the screening target group outside of screening;
4) time and cause of death of the person;
5) data of the person submitting the data.
(4) Data is stored in the Estonian Cancer Screening Registry for an unspecified term. Logs and underlying data are stored in accordance with the constitutive regulations of the Estonian Cancer Screening Registry.
(5) The controller of the Estonian Cancer Screening Registry is the National Institute for Health Development.
(6) The Estonian Cancer Screening Registry is founded and the constitutive regulations thereof are established by a regulation of the minister in charge of the policy sector.
§ 26. Pregnancy Information System
(1) The Pregnancy Information System is maintained for analysing the course of pregnancy, miscarriage and termination of pregnancy as well as the illness and morbidity of the mother and new-born child, organising health services, developing the health policy, evaluating the diagnostics and treatment as well as for statistical and scientific research, including epidemiological research purposes.
(2) Health care providers providing obstetrical care and gynaecology or paediatrics services on the basis of a specialised medical care activity licence or home birth service on the basis of an activity licence of midwifery care services permitted to be provided independently have the obligation to submit data to the Pregnancy Information System.
(3) The following data are processed in the Pregnancy Information System:
1) general data, ethnic nationality, marital status, time of contraction of marriage or registered partnership or the beginning of cohabitation, area of activity and education of the pregnant woman and biological mother;
2) general data of the child;
3) general data and education of the father;
4) data on the course of pregnancy and delivery of the biological mother, including the data on miscarriage or termination of pregnancy and birth control methods and risk factors;
5) other health data and medicinal products of the pregnant woman, biological mother and child;
6) time and cause of death of the biological mother and child;
7) data of the person submitting the data.
(4) Data is stored in the Pregnancy Information System for an unspecified term. Logs and underlying data are stored in accordance with the constitutive regulations of the Pregnancy Information System.
(5) The controller of the Pregnancy Information System is the National Institute for Health Development.
(6) The Pregnancy Information System is founded and the constitutive regulations thereof are established by a regulation of the minister in charge of the policy sector.
§ 27. Estonian Myocardial Infarction Registry
(1) The Estonian Myocardial Infarction Registry is a database which is maintained with the aim of analysing the myocardial infarction morbidity and survival of myocardial infarction patients, organising health services, developing the health policy, evaluating the diagnostics and treatment as well as for statistical and scientific research, including epidemiological research purposes.
(2) Health care providers who diagnose myocardial infarction cases both before and after death and treat myocardial infarction patients are obliged to submit data to the Estonian Myocardial Infarction Registry.
(3) The following data are processed in the Estonian Myocardial Infarction Registry:
1) the general personal data and time spent in Estonia of the person;
2) the health data of a myocardial infarction patient, including examination performed before, during and after hospitalisation and the results thereof, and medicinal products;
3) the time and cause of death of a person and place of death;
4) data of the person submitting the data.
(4) Data is stored in the Estonian Myocardial Infarction Registry for an unspecified term. Logs and underlying data are stored in accordance with the constitutive regulations of the Estonian Myocardial Infarction Registry.
(5) The controller of the Estonian Myocardial Infarction Registry is the Ministry of Social Affairs.
(6) The Estonian Myocardial Infarction Registry is founded and the constitutive regulations thereof are established by a regulation of the minister in charge of the policy sector.
§ 28. Estonian Tuberculosis Registry
(1) The Estonian Tuberculosis Registry is a database which is maintained for registration of tuberculosis cases, prevention of tuberculosis, analysing the tuberculosis morbidity, spread of tuberculosis and the survival of tuberculosis patients, organising health services and tuberculosis control, developing the health policy, evaluating the diagnostics and treatment as well as for statistical and scientific research, including epidemiological research purposes.
(2) Health care providers who diagnose tuberculosis cases both before and after death and treat tuberculosis patients, as well as forensic experts from the state forensic institution are obliged to submit data to the Estonian Tuberculosis Registry.
(3) The following data is processed in the Estonian Tuberculosis Registry:
1) general personal data, ethnic nationality, marital status, area of activity and seat, time spent in Estonia, the existence of health insurance and the name of the parent of the person;
2) the health data of a tuberculosis patient, including their condition before treatment, the treatment and the result thereof and the causes of termination of treatment, and medicinal products;
3) time and cause of death of the person;
4) data of the person submitting the data.
(4) Data is stored in the Estonian Tuberculosis Registry for an unspecified term. Logs and underlying data are stored in accordance with the constitutive regulations of the Estonian Tuberculosis Registry.
(5) The controller of the Estonian Tuberculosis Registry is the National Institute for Health Development.
(6) The Estonian Tuberculosis Registry is founded and the constitutive regulations thereof are established by a regulation of the minister in charge of the policy sector.
§ 29. Water Health Safety Information System
(1) The Water Health Safety Information System is maintained for collecting data on the quality of drinking water, bathing and pool water, natural mineral water and spring water, for analysing health safety, as well as for statistical and scientific research, including epidemiological research purposes.
(2) Handlers of drinking water, handlers of natural mineral water and spring water, possessors of a bathing area or swimming hall have the obligation to submit data to the Water Health Safety Information System or forward data through the Health Board.
(3) The following data is processed in the Water Health Safety Information System:
1) data on the handler of drinking water and the quality of the water supply and drinking water;
2) data on the possessor of swimming hall and the quality of pool water;
3) data on the possessor of bathing area and the quality of bathing water;
4) data on the handler of natural mineral water and spring water and the quality of natural mineral water and spring water.
(4) The controller of the Water Health Safety Information System is the National Institute for Health Development.
(5) The Water Health Safety Information System is founded and the constitutive regulations thereof are established by a regulation of the minister in charge of the policy sector.
§ 30. Research Ethics Committee
(1) The Research Ethics Committee evaluates the need to issue personal data from the database or information system specified in §§ 24–28 of this Act for the purposes of scientific research and statistics and the justification thereof.
(2) The aim of the Research Ethics Committee’s work is to ensure the preventive protection of the fundamental rights of research subjects, to harmonise the assessment principles applied to research so that the researchers are obliged to protect the fundamental rights of research subjects.
(3) The Research Ethics Committee acts pursuant to the ethical rules established for the area, international conventions, and also pursuant to Regulation (EU) 2016/679 of the European Parliament and of the Council on the protection of natural persons with regard to the processing of personal data and on the free movement of such data, and repealing Directive 95/46/EC (General Data Protection Regulation) (OJ L 119, 04.05.2016, p 1–88) as well as the principles provided for in special acts.
(4) An application for the issue of personal data for the purposes of scientific research or statistics is submitted to the controller of the database or information system. The application must conform to the good scientific research practices.
(5) The Research Ethics Committee evaluates the compliance of the research to the requirements provided for in § 6 of the Personal Data Protection Act, the extent of ethical risks and the background of the researcher, by finding a balance between the protection of the fundamental rights of the research subjects and the feasibility of the research.
(6) The Research Ethics Committee is founded and the rules of procedure thereof, the number of members and procedure of appointment thereof and the rates of reviewing research applications are approved by a regulation of the minister in charge of the policy sector.
Chapter 5 Financing Public Health Measures
§ 31. Financing public health measures
(1) The national public health measures provided for in this Act are financed from the state budget.
(2) The performance of the joint duties of the local authorities provided for in subsection 1 of § 13 of this Act are financed from the state budget.
(3) The performance of the duties of the local authorities provided for in subsection 2 of § 13 of this Act may be partially financed from the state budget.
Chapter 6 State and Administrative Oversight
§ 32. State and administrative oversight authority
(1) State and administrative oversight over compliance with the requirements provided for in §§ 14–22 of this Act, the requirements of legislation issued on the basis of this Act, and the requirements of relevant legislation of the European Union is exercised by the Health Board.
(2) Oversight over the management of public information and the requirements for the processing of personal data is carried out on the basis of and pursuant to the procedure provided for in the Public Information Act and the Personal Data Protection Act.
§ 33. Special state supervision measures
For the execution of state supervision provided for in this Act, the law enforcement agency may apply the special state supervision measures provided for in §§ 30–32, 44 and 49–53 of the Law Enforcement Act on the basis of and pursuant to the procedure provided for in the Law Enforcement Act.
Chapter 7 Liability
§ 34. Violation of the requirement to notify of a health hazard
(1) Violation of the requirement to notify of a health hazard specified in § 14 of this Act
is punishable by a fine of up to 300 fine units.
(2) The same act, if committed by a legal person,
is punishable by a fine of up to 100,000 euros.
§ 35. Violation of the requirements and restrictions for products, services and activities offered for the purpose of maintaining, protecting, promoting and improving human health
(1) Violation of the requirement or restriction specified in § 15 of this Act
is punishable by a fine of up to 250 fine units.
(2) The same act, if committed by a legal person,
is punishable by a fine of up to 80,000 euros.
§ 36. Violation of the requirements and restrictions on the production, placing on the market and making available of cosmetic products
(1) Violation of the requirements and restrictions specified in § 18 of this Act, in Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council or Commission Regulation (EU) No 655/2013
is punishable by a fine of up to 200 fine units.
(2) The same act, if committed by a legal person,
is punishable by a fine of up to 50,000 euros.
§ 37. Violation of the requirements and restrictions imposed on beauty and personal services
(1) Violation of the prohibition of providing tanning and tattoo services to minors and of providing tattooing services where the tattoo ink is injected or inserted into the eyeball, as provided for in § 19 of this Act,
is punishable by a fine of up to 250 fine units.
(2) The same act, if committed by a legal person,
is punishable by a fine of up to 80,000 euros.
§ 38. Proceedings
(1) The out-of-court proceedings authority concerning the misdemeanours provided in §§ 34–37 of this Act is the Health Board.
(2) A court may, pursuant to § 83 of the Penal Code, apply confiscation of a substance or object which was the direct object of the commission of a misdemeanour provided for in § 36 of this Act.
Chapter 8 Implementing Provisions
Subchapter 1 Amendment and Repeal of Acts
§ 39. – § 53. [Provisions amending other acts have been omitted from this translation.]
§ 54. Repeal of the Public Health Act.
The Public Health Act is repealed.
§ 55. – § 67. [Provisions amending other acts have been omitted from this translation.]
Subchapter 2 Entry into Force of the Act
§ 68. Entry into force of the Act
(1) This Act enters into force on 1 September 2025.
(2) Clauses 1–4 and 6–8 of section 51 of this Act enters into force pursuant to the general procedure.
Lauri Hussar
President of the Riigikogu
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