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1

Up to which age is one regarded as a child and young person respectively?

Republic of Estonia Child Protection Act § 2 Age of child:

For the purposes of this Act, a child is a human being below the age of eighteen years.

Youth Work Act § 2 para 1:

A young person is a natural person between 7 and 26 years of age.

Up to which age is one regarded as a child and young person respectively?

2

Are children/teens allowed to stay in public places?

Young person are allowed to stay in public places.

Republic of Estonia Child Protection Act, § 23 Restriction of freedom of movement of minors

(1) It is prohibited for a minor under 16 years of age to be in a public place from 23.00 to 06.00 without being accompanied by an adult. During the period from 1 June to 31 August, it is prohibited for a minor to be in a public place from 00.00 to 05.00 without being accompanied by an adult.

(2) Local governments have the right to temporarily shorten the restriction of movement provided for in this section.

 

Are children/teens allowed to stay in public places?

3

Are children/teens allowed to stay in restaurants or dance halls / ballrooms?

Restaurants:

 

It extends to the general movement of children should Republic of Estonia Child Protection Act, ie. without adult supervision should not be a public place during the period from 23-7.00 (summer 0.00-5.00) to stay. (§ 23 Restriction of freedom of movement of minors).

Dance Halls:

It extends to the general movement of children should Republic of Estonia Child Protection Act , ie. without adult supervision should not be a public place during the period from 23.00-7.00 (summer 0.00-5.00) to stay.

Often the restriction is prohibited under the age of 21.

Are children/teens allowed to stay in restaurants or dance halls / ballrooms?

4

Are children/teens allowed to stay in night clubs, bars, casinos, places for gambling etc.?

It extends to the general movement of children should Republic of Estonia Child Protection Act , ie. without adult supervision should not be a public place during the period from 23-7.00 (summer 00-5.00) to stay.

Often the restriction is prohibited under the age of 21.

(1) The presence of minors in shops, cinemas, video shops and other places and places of business, which have a license for the distribution or exhibition of works with pornographic and violent content are prohibited for young people.
 

§ 33. General obligations of gambling operator upon organisation of gambling

(1) Upon organisation of gambling, a gambling operator is required to:
4) ensure that a person under 21 years of age is not tasked with conducting a game of chance, lottery or toto, make decisions on the right to participate in a game of chance, lottery or toto or carry out supervision of a game of chance, lottery of toto;
 

§ 34. Restrictions on participation in gambling

(2) A person under 21 years of age shall not play a game of chance, a game of chanceorganised as remote gambling or a game of skill organised as remote gambling. It is also prohibited for a person under 21 years of age to be present in a gaming location for games of chance. A person under 21 years of age may only be present in a gaming location for games of chance located on a ship that is entered in the Estonian register of ships and carries out passenger transport, if the highest possible bet for obtaining the right to participate in a game of chance on a gaming machine or gaming table located there does not exceed 10 euros and the biggest possible prize that can be won as a result of a game of chance does not exceed 2000 euros.
[RT I, 25.04.2012, 1 – entry into force 01.06.2012]

(3) Persons under 18 years of age shall not play a toto.

(4) Persons under 16 years of age shall not play a lottery.

Are children/teens allowed to stay in night clubs, bars, casinos, places for gambling etc.?

5

Is it allowed to sell spirits to children/teens?

Spirits allowed to consume from 18.

Alcohol Act

§ 4 Prohibition on consumption of alcoholic beverages for minors:

Minors shall not consume alcoholic beverages.

§ 47 Measures to enforce prohibition on consumption of alcoholic beverages for minors:

(1) Minors shall not obtain alcoholic beverages.

(2) It is prohibited to transfer alcoholic beverages to minors. In order to observe the above-mentioned prohibition, a seller may demand identification from the buyer and refuse to sell alcoholic beverages if the buyer fails to present such identification.

*By the law in the prohibition of the sale of alcohol to minors there is no difference between light or strong spirits.

Is it allowed to sell spirits to children/teens?

6

Which restrictions are there for children/teens to visit public film screenings?


The law prohibits the showing and distribution of films with pornographic content, violence and cruelty to minors under 18 years of age. The age restrictions are set by the film distributors and public cinemas. 

The restrictions vary depending on the content of the film: forbidden under 12 years, under 14 years or under 16 years. Age restrictions do not apply if minors are accompanied by adults.

Which restrictions are there for children/teens to visit public film screenings?

7

Are children/teens allowed to smoke in public?

7. Tobacco Act

§ 27. Prohibition applied with regard to minors

A person of less than 18 years of age (hereinafter minor) shall not smoke or consume smokeless tobacco products.

§ 28. Measures to enforce prohibition applied with regard to minors

(1)       Minors shall not acquire or possess tobacco products.

(2)       Tobacco products shall not be sold to minors. In order to observe the prohibition, a seller may demand identification from the buyer and refuse to sell tobacco products if the buyer fails to present such identification.

(3)       Adults are prohibited from buying tobacco products for, offering tobacco products to and handing tobacco products over to minors.

(4)       It is prohibited to offer for sale or sell to minors products the shape of which is similar to tobacco products.

(5)       Minors shall not be employed for work related to the handling of tobacco products.

Are children/teens allowed to smoke in public?

8

Is it allowed for children/teens to go to internet café?

There is no legislation. it is allowed

Is it allowed for children/teens to go to internet café?

9

Which restrictions are there about carrying knifes, martial arts equipment, weapons?

9. WeaponsAct

§ 18. Weapons and ammunition in unrestricted commerce

(1)        The following are weapons and ammunition in unrestricted commerce:

1)         gas spray;

2)         pneumatic weapons of a calibre of up to 4.5 mm (inclusive);

3)         hunting knives;

4)         diving knives;

5)         fencing weapons for sport (épée, espadon, foil, etc.);

6)         cut-and-thrust weapons related to historical tradition in culture, martial arts or sports (sword, dagger, rapier, etc.) or copies thereof;

7)         crossbows requiring a draw force of up to 75 kg (inclusive);

8)         sporting bows requiring a draw force of up to 45 kg (inclusive);

9)         underwater weapons.

(2)        Bullets, shots and cartridge cases are cartridge components in unrestricted commerce.

(3)        This Act applies to weapons and the ammunition therefor in unrestricted commerce only to the extent of subsections (4)–(8) of this section.

(4)        Weapons and the ammunition therefor in unrestricted commerce shall not be acquired, owned, possessed, carried, stored or conveyed by persons under 18 years of age.

(5)        Weapons specified in clauses (1) 2) and 4)–9) of this section may be possessed, carried, stored or conveyed by persons who engage in corresponding sports and have attained at least ten years of age.

 

Which restrictions are there about carrying knifes, martial arts equipment, weapons?

10

Which regulations are there concerning sexual relations with children/teens?

Adults are prohibited to engage in sexual intercourse or other acts of sexual nature with children/teens under 16 years of age, unless the young person is at least 14 years old and the partners’ age difference is not more than five years. Buying sex from minors (under 18 years of age) is also prohibited.
In addition, an adult cannot have a sexual relationship with a young person under the age of 18 if the adult is taking advantage of the young person’s dependency on the adult or abuses their influence or trust. This is the case for example if the adult party in the relationship is a family member or other person in a relationship of trust, such as a teacher or a coach.
Penal Code, §§ 143, 145 
 

Which regulations are there concerning sexual relations with children/teens?

11

Which restrictions are there if foreign young people want to work temporarily?

Generally from 15. In under certain conditions from 7 (Employment Contacts Act).

§ 7 Entry into employment contracts with minors:

(1) An employer shall not enter into an employment contract with a minor under 15 years of age or a minor subject to the obligation to attend school, or allow such minor to work, except in the events provided for in subsection (4) of this section.

(2) An employer shall not enter into an employment contract with a minor or allow a minor to work if the work:

1) is beyond the minor’s physical or psychological capacity;

2) is likely to harm the moral development of the minor;

3) involves risks which the minor cannot recognize or avoid owing to their lack of experience or training;

4) is likely to harm the minor's social development or to jeopardise their education;

5) involves health hazards to the minor arising from the nature of the work or from the working environment.

(3) The list of the work and hazards specified in clause (2) 5) of this section shall be established by a regulation of the Government of the Republic.

(4) An employer may enter into an employment contract with a minor of 13-14 years of age or a minor of 15-16 years of age subject to the obligation to attend school and allow them to work if the duties are simple and do not require any major physical or mental effort (light work). Minors of 7-12 years of age are allowed to do light work in the field of culture, art, sports or advertising.

(5) The types of light work which may be done by minors shall be established by a regulation of the Government of the Republic.

(6) An employment contract made in breach of the restrictions specified in this section is void.

Is it possible to spend working holiday in your country?

It is possible.

Estonian legislation is based on:

Council Directive 94/33/EC of 22 June 1994 on the protection of young people at work

Which restrictions are there if foreign young people want to work temporarily?

12

To which institutions can children/teens turn to if they need help?

1. Emergency number (the ambulance, police and rescue workers) 112

2. Child helpline 116 111

Child Helpline is available 24/7 throughout Estonia in case of any child-related questions or concerns. Calling 116 111 is free for the caller, and calls can be made even if there is no call time. Counselling is provided in Estonian, Russian, and English. Child Helpline can also be contacted via online chat at https://www.lasteabi.ee/en or by email info@lasteabi.ee.

3. Chancellor of Justice (ombudsman for children)

Complaints about violation of the child’s rights or bad treatment in interactions with state and public institutions can be made to the Chancellor of Justice, who acts as ombudsman for children. Contact information: https://www.oiguskantsler.ee/en/application-to-the-chancellor-of-justice 

4. Estonian Union for Child Protection

The Union for Child Protection is a non-governmental organization that contributes to ensuring children’s rights and shaping a child-friendly society. Contact information: https://www.lastekaitseliit.ee/en/contacts/

German Embassy

Toom-Kuninga 11

15048 Tallinn

phone: +372 6275 300

fax: +372 6275 304

emergency phone: +372 5012 560

e-mail: info@tallinn.diplo.de

see: http://www.tallinn.diplo.de/Vertretung/tallinn/de/Startseite.html (website in german)

To which institutions can children/teens turn to if they need help?

13

Useful internet sites about youth protection

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More information

no

source:
Department of Children and Families Estonian Ministry of Social Affairs (08/2012)

More information