Covid-19, Estonia, Financial Services, Good for Business, Tourism

The measure that comes as state aid has been approved by the European Commission. 

Specific terms apply to the building situated at 26 Viru Street, where the tenant of the commercial premises gets a rent discount of 30% and the tenant operating a nightclub a discount of 100%, spokespeople for the city government said.

Tenants who use a structure of the city for retail business in the city center get a rent discount of 100%. Such retail business includes, for instance, the sale of handicraft on Muurivahe street, terraces, coin minting machines, almond and nut carriages, and tower viewers.

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Deputy Mayor Aivar Riisalu recalled that at the end of the summer, the city came up with new proposals for support measures to alleviate the impact from the emergency situation for business operators. The measures for operators of tourist-related businesses in the city center received a state aid permission from the European Commission on Oct. 21. 

Riisalu pointed out that the city's second aid package introduces discount terms for business operators active in the city center, who are the most dependent on the summer tourist season. 

The discount will not be available to business operators who have arrears to the city as at Oct. 31 and no agreement on rescheduling of the arrears has been concluded. Nor will the discount be available if arrears are rescheduled beyond Dec. 31.

The discount is not available if the tenant is an institution, business or foundation of the city, or a foundation, business or nonprofit association co-owned by the city. Nor is the discount available if the basis of the use of the premises is a decision of the city council, regardless of the purpose of use. 

The discount is not valid for parties that process and sell agricultural products, which pass on the discount either partially or in full to the producer.

The measure will not apply to tenants of municipal property and users of structures of the city for retail whose main target group is local residents, such as theaters, museums and other cultural establishments. 

The discounts take effect retroactively from Sept. 1 and will be valid until Dec. 31. 

The first aid measures for the field of business to mitigate the impacts arising from the emergency situation were introduced by the Tallinn city government in April this year.