Estonia, Financial Services, Legislation, Markets and Companies, Taxation

The rates remain at the same level, which the government set for the period 2015-2018.

Thus, once again, the government did not accept the proposal of the Council of the Unemployment Insurance Fund, which provided for a lowering of the tax rate.

The social partners submitted a proposal to the government, that from 2017 the insured's insurance tax rate would be 1.4% and the share paid by the employer would be 0.7%.

The government based it decision on the Finance Ministry's assessment that that the tax rates should be stable and predictable in the long term.

"Also when the work ability reform is implemented next July, the number of customers and the amount of services of the Unemployment Insurance Fund will increase several times and there is no in-depth analysis, which shows the sustainability of the financial means of the Unemployment Insurance Fund in providing services," the government said.

By the end of 2016, the Unemployment Insurance Fund volume of assets is projected to be 690.8 million. At the end of last year, the fund had a net asset value of 610.3 million euros. By the end of this year, the unemployment insurance fund has an expected value of the assets at 648.8 million euros.