Estonia, EU – Baltic States, Financial Services, Legislation, Markets and Companies, Technology

In the communications between private and public sector, 11% of bills are e-bills now while rest are in PDF format, or on paper. This result is behind many European Union member states.

Now the Ministry of Finance together with AS Ernst and Young Baltic starts researching the possibilities of wider use of e-bills in the public and private sector and its economic impact. The aim is to support and provide recommendations for a smooth transition to e-bills in the communications between the private and public sector by 2016.

Permanent undersecretary of the Ministry of Finance Agris Peedu said that the survey should indicate whether it is more reasonable to implement the Danish or the Finnish model in Estonia. "In Denmark, use of e-bills is mandatory under the law, but in Finland it is voluntary and supported by best practices and motivating the private sector," he said.

"The aim of wider use of e-bills is to achieve economic benefits and environmental savings," said Peedu.

The European Commission has set a goal that by the year 2020 primarily e-bills are used in Europe, starting with making of e-bills mandatory in public procurements by 2016.

Estonian Ministry of Finance plans to interview some 50,000 companies and 800 institutions from late May to mid-September.