Temporary Restoration of Border Checks and Border Control at the Internal Border

The Regulation temporarily restores the border checks of persons and vehicles entering the Republic of Estonia and the controlling of the state borders as of 17 March 2020 in order to ensure public order and the protection of public health.

(1) Upon temporary restoration of border checks and border control when entering the state at the internal border, the requirements applicable to the border control and border checks of the external border are applied to the checking of persons and vehicles crossing the state border, taking into account the variations provided for in this Regulation.

(2) Upon temporary restoration of border checks and border control at the internal border

1) border checks are carried out;

2) the crew and passengers of the vehicle are questioned;

3) sanitary checks are carried out.

(3) Upon temporary restoration of border checks and border control at the internal border, no customs clearance is carried out and requirements for veterinary or plant health checks are not applied.

(4) During the time for which the border control at the internal border has been temporarily restored, it is not allowed to cross the state border of the Republic of Estonia and the Republic of Latvia in the area between the border crossing points.

The requirements provided for in subsections 1 and 2 of § 2 are applied with the following variations

1) a stamp authorising the crossing of the border is not affixed to the travel document;

2) operations arising from the temporary restoration of border checks are usually not applied to local coastal fishing vessels;

3) the passengers of a passenger train crossing the state border of the Republic of Estonia and Republic of Latvia are checked in the carriages and on the platform;

4) the airport dispatcher informs the representative of the airport border checkpoint of the arrival of an aircraft in Estonia at least one hour before landing. The airport dispatcher informs the representative of the airport border checkpoint without delay of an unscheduled aircraft that is about to land or has landed;

5) operations arising from the temporary restoration of border checks are usually not applied to the staff and vehicles that provide rescue and emergency medical care services;

6) in exceptional circumstances, the police officer carrying out border checks may grant a person permission to cross the internal border outside the border crossing point, provided that such person has legal grounds for arriving and staying in Estonia, a proper personal identity document and they have been identified or their identity has been verified.

Clauses 4, 13, 25, 26-31 and 41 of the Border Regime Rules approved by the Government of the Republic Regulation No. 176 of 17 September 1997 ‘Approval of the Border Regime Rules’ are not applied to persons and vehicles crossing the internal border at the border crossing points specified in §§ 6 and 7.

The requirements for the construction of infrastructure, which arise from the State Borders Act and the Border Regime Rules, do not apply to the road border crossing points or railway border crossing points specified in § 6.

Border checks are temporarily restored at the state border of the Republic of Estonia and Republic of Latvia at the following border crossing points open for international traffic on the following road sections and in the following railway stations

Border crossing point Place of border checks Border crossing options and restrictions Ikla border crossing point Tallinn–Pärnu–Ikla road 24 h Lilli border crossing point Karksi-Nuia–Lilli road 24 h Murati border crossing point Riga–Pskov road 24 h Valga-1 border crossing point Valga–Uulu road 24 h Valga-3 border crossing point Valga, Sepa street 24 h Valga railway border crossing point Valga railway station Open during designated hours, on call

Border checks of persons crossing the internal border are temporarily restored at ports and airports at the following border crossing points

1) border crossing points open for international traffic at seaports and ports of transboundary water bodies

Border crossing point Place of border checks Border crossing options and restrictions Dirhami border crossing point Port of Dirhami On call, open only to cargo vessels Heltermaa border crossing point Port of Heltermaa On call, open only to cargo vessels Kunda border crossing point Port of Kunda On call, open only to cargo vessels Kuivastu border crossing point Port of Kuivastu On call, open only to cargo vessels Lehtma border crossing point Port of Lehtma On call, open only to cargo vessels Loksa border crossing point Port of Loksa On call, open only to cargo vessels Miiduranna border crossing point Port of Miiduranna On call, open only to cargo vessels Muuga border crossing point Port of Muuga Open during designated hours; recreational crafts excluded Mõntu border crossing point Port of Mõntu On call, open only to cargo vessels Narva-Jõesuu border crossing point Port of Narva-Jõesuu On call, open only to cargo vessels Paldiski-1 border crossing point Paldiski North Port Open during designated hours Paldiski-2 border crossing point Paldiski South Port Open during designated hours Pärnu-2 border crossing point Port of Pärnu On call, open only to cargo vessels Rohuküla border crossing point Port of Rohuküla On call, open only to cargo vessels Roomassaare border crossing point Port of Roomassaare On call, open only to cargo vessels Saaremaa border crossing point Port of Saaremaa On call, open only to cargo vessels Port of Sillamäe border crossing point Port of Sillamäe Open during designated hours Tallinn-2 border crossing point Port of Meeruse On call, open only to cargo vessels Tallinn-3 border crossing point Port of Bekkeri On call, open only to cargo vessels Tallinn-4 border crossing point Russian-Baltic Port On call, open only to cargo vessels Tallinn-5 border crossing point Port of Paljassaare On call, open only to cargo vessels Tallinn-6 border crossing point Port of Lahesuu On call, open only to cargo vessels Tallinn-8 border crossing point Port of Noblessner On call, open only to cargo vessels Tallinn-10 border crossing point Port of Patarei On call, open only to cargo vessels Tallinn-11 border crossing point Old City Marina Open during designated hours Tallinn-12 border crossing point Port of Pirita On call, open only to cargo vessels Tallinn-14 border crossing point Port of Kakumäe On call, open only to cargo vessels Veere border crossing point Port of Veere On call, open only to cargo vessels Vergi border crossing point Port of Vergi On call, open only to cargo vessels Virtsu border crossing point Port of Virtsu On call, open only to cargo vessels

2) border crossing points open for international traffic at airports

Border crossing point Place of border checks Border crossing options and restrictions Kuressaare-2 border crossing point Kuressaare Airport On call Kärdla border crossing point Kärdla Airport On call Pärnu-1 border crossing point Pärnu Airport On call Tallinn-1 border crossing point Tallinn Airport Open during designated hours Tallinn-13 border crossing point Helicopter Terminal of Linnahall On call Tartu-1 border crossing point Tartu Airport Open during designated hours Ämari border crossing point Ämari Airport On call only by special order

During the time for which the border checks and border control at the internal border are temporarily restored, the Tax and Customs Board exercises enhanced state supervision over adherence to the bans and restrictions at the internal border on the basis of a risk analysis.

The Road Administration is required to, in accordance with the instructions of the Police and Border Guard Board, arrange the installation of signs, markings and barriers restricting and directing traffic for the purpose of the temporary restoration of border checks and border control at the internal border.

(1) The Police and Border Guard Board, the Tax and Customs Board, the Road Administration and another relevant administrative authority may commence preparations for the temporary restoration of border checks and border control at the internal border, including install equipment, signs, markings, barriers and facilities as of the entry into force of this Regulation.

(2) The administrative authority specified in subsection 1 is required to remove the equipment, signs, markings, barriers and facilities installed for the purpose of the temporary restoration of border checks and border control at the internal border within one month after termination of border checks and border control at the internal border, provided that the installation or use thereof is in conflict with the State Borders Act.

The Ministry of the Interior in cooperation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs arranges the informing of the general public, the European Parliament, the European Commission and Member States of the temporary restoration of border checks and border control at the internal border in accordance with the procedure prescribed by legislation.

The Regulation enters into force on 17 March 2020.