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COVID-19 led to a crisis that has accelerated the changes that were actually taking place even before the so – called era of social distancing. Those with the automation and digital sales channel in the DNA of their business model are emerging stronger from the crisis than before. Among others, the race for the rest of the market is likely to begin. Read more about the topic in an article by Grant Thornton Baltic's Legal and Financial Manager Marko Rebane.

Amendments to the Labour Market Services and Benefits Act (hereinafter LMSBA) and the Unemployment Insurance Act create the possibility of temporary employment, in other words, accepting temporary job offers during registered unemployment, plus unemployment allowance and unemployment insurance benefit increase. Grant Thornton Baltic's legal manager Kristel Tiits and legal adviser Lee Laanemäe explain the details in their article.

Businesses in various sectors do not have a positive outlook for their turnover forecasts due to the corona crisis. As a result, they may have an extra incentive to take the uncomfortable journey and start collecting bad debt. It may often seem that the only effective way to satisfy claims is to take legal action, but before filing a statement of claim you should consider other and less costly options. Grant Thornton Baltic's legal adviser Edward Otsa opens the subject further.

A new concept in Estonian legal system, administrative fine, was sent to coordination round to the relevant ministries by the Ministry of Justice. The new fine would enable a more effective response to violations of financial services, competition and data protection regulation in the future. Grant Thornton Baltic data protection officer Maili Torma and legal adviser Lee Laanemäe write about the potential changes awaiting us in the near future.

In Estonia the state is placing increasing emphasis on money laundering prevention. Therefore, companies with a duty to prevent money laundering must be prepared for more thorough and more frequent inspections to determine whether they comply with all the rules laid down by law. Read more from the article written by Grant Thornton Baltic's Senior Internal Auditor Kai Paalberg.

The Supreme Court thus finds that a disbursement made from equity capital is not subject to income tax, if the disbursement does not exceed the contribution to the equity and the taxpayer can provide evidence of the equity contribution (regardless of whether or not the contribution has been declared). Read more from the article written by Grant Thornton Baltic's Senior Tax Manager Sander Adamson.

What happens if the auditor makes a mistake? Which is the auditor’s liability in case when the auditor does not notice discrepancies in the report or hides them intentionally? How much help can the injured party expect from the insurer? You'll find an answer to these questions in a article written by Grant Thornton Baltic partner Mart Nõmper and legal adviser Lee Laanemäe.

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.

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.

Last year was a very successful one for Grant Thornton Baltic – total revenue in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania grew by 15.1%, reaching 9.3 million euros. The company was able to grow the volumes of all of its services, from accounting and auditing to business advisory and risk management services.

In the beginning of the year, several tax changes were introduced in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. Some of the changes will become effective in 2020. In addition we shall highlight tax rates applicable in the Baltics as of 2020.

This Briefing Paper provides insight into the latest VAT and Customs developments for both importers and exporters of goods and services in a ‘no-deal’ scenario.

Start-ups are playing an increasingly important role in the Estonian economy – about 550 start-ups are operating in Estonia, paying more than 3,700 people an average of around 2,200 euros a month in earnings, and employing hundreds of people outside Estonia.

World economic growth is slowing and it’s clear that this year will not be as good a year in the global economy as was last year. The results of a recent study show that companies' optimism regarding business success is slipping.

Amendments to the Occupational Health and Safety Act that came into force on 1 January 2019 will lead to a decrease in the administrative burden on employers.

The European Union has adopted new rules on VAT that will simplify and facilitate e-commerce. The rules will come into effect in full on 1 January 2021, but companies that provide electronic services will be able to benefit from the rules already starting 1 January 2019.