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On February 1st 2020, remote authentication was introduced for notarial transactions, which is equivalent to ordinary notarial authentication, i.e. authentication in the presence of a notary. Remote authentication as an innovative solution is a notarial act conducted via a video bridge between Estonian notary and an Estonian or an e-resident. Grant Thornton Baltic legal adviser Brigitta Jõgi opens the subject further.

The Accounting Standards Board has ruled that subsidy paid by the Unemployment Insurance Fund should be recognised as government grant as treated in Accounting Standards Board Guideline (ASBG) 12, “Government Grants“. How to account for the Unemployment Insurance Fund's temporary subsidy? Grant Thornton Baltic sworn auditors Kristiine Villemi and Mart Nõmper explain the subject further.

In a crisis, companies need to be able to respond quickly to change and to meet the needs of their employees, customers and partners, while managing the company's financial and operational challenges. Grant Thornton Baltic's Chief Internal Auditor Kai Paalberg names 5 top priorities that all companies should concentrate on when dealing with the crisis management.

Reorganization is being used to help a company that has temporarily become insolvent, for example due to the current pandemic and crisis. It is important to emphasize that a company can be reorganized if the business model is sustainable, and the difficulties are temporary. Grant Thornton Baltic partner Artur Suits opens the subject further in his interview.

From the 1st of July 2020 the changes of the commercial code state, that the minimum nominal value of a share is one cent instead of one euro, with the result that every cent of the share capital shall grant the shareholder one vote. Grant Thornton Baltic legal adviser Brigitta Jõgi explains the subject further.

Only a few companies have included an option of a virtual shareholders’ general meeting – e.g. using an instant messaging service or electronic voting application. Grant Thornton Baltic legal manager Kristel Tiits explains how to rectify this situation.

The government aid measures to alleviate the corona crisis have become rather confusing for entrepreneurs. According to Äripäev's radio program "Kasvukursil", there are in fact several ways for labour cost savings. In the studio were legal manager Kristel Tiits, HR manager Marge Litvinova and IT manager Arko Kurg from Grant Thornton Batic.

Estonia has been in a state of emergency for a month now, which has limited the work and regular routines of businesses and individuals alike. Sports clubs and entertainment centers are closed, and people are forbidden to visit shopping centers. Accordingly, businesses experience many disruptions in their usual business routines and activities. Under certain conditions, it is possible to rely on § 103 (2) of the Law of Obligations Act (hereinafter LOA), which establishes force majeure. Grant Thornton Baltic legal adviser Brigitta Jõgi explains when force majeure can be applied to the situation.

A subsidy to employees affected by the COVID-19 crisis was established by order of Estonian Government from March 23rd, 2020 „Employment program 2017-2020 . To apply for the employee subsidy the employer must meet 2 out of 3 requirements. What are those requirements and what action must employer take? Grant Thornton Baltic legal adviser Lee Laanemäe and legal manager Kristel Tiits explain the subject and give recommendations for further steps.

To improve liquidity, KredEx has developed crisis measures. It should be remembered that a company intending to use KredEx measures should first contact their home bank. Grant Thornton Baltic legal manager Kärolin Rohumäe explains what companies should do to be able to apply for the KredEx crisis packages.

The COVID-19 pandemic is placing companies and their management teams in a challenging situation due to the lockdowns and state of emergency established around the world. One of the most critical areas is managing the companies’ cash flows and decisions to maintain liquidity. Mikk Mägi, head of financial advisory in Grant Thornton Baltic, gives advice what should be a priority for the companies during the crisis.

During the emergency situation in Estonia, many employers have allowed some or all their employees to work from home. Allowing people to work from home cuts the risk of contracting the virus, but also raises the question of who is responsible for providing a safe and healthy work environment for the employee. Kärolin Rohumäe, Grant Thornton Baltic's legal adviser, explains in more detail.

The crisis caused by the coronavirus is coinciding with the peak season for preparing annual reports. It raises the question of whether and how aspects related to the coronavirus be recognized in the 2019 financial statements and if so, how? Grant Thornton Baltic partner Mart Nõmper gives instructions in his article.

Estonia declared a state of emergency (defined in national law as “emergency situation”) on 12 March 2020 and this affects the rights and responsibilities arising from employment relationships. What steps can an employer take to slow the spread of the virus while keeping the work processes flowing, and what are an employee’s rights to refuse to come to work? Grant Thornton Baltic specialists Kristel Tiits and Lee Laanemäe give overview and suggestions on how to best deal with the current situation.

In simple terms, copyright is the right over intellectual property. Copyright is gained automatically and requires no separate registration or other completion of formalities. Grant Thornton Baltic specialists Kristel Tiits and Lee Laanemäe are explaining the details in depth in their article.

Hundreds of companies are bought and sold each year in Estonia. In the case of bigger transactions, relying on assistance from transaction advisers has become the norm, although for the sake of total certainty, it’s a good idea to bring aboard an adviser even on smaller acquisitions.