Estonian minister: law bars disclosure of firms trading with Russia

Estonia's Minister of Economic Affairs and Industry Erkki Keldo (Reform Party) told ERR in an interview that existing legislation prevents the government from publishing a list of companies that continue trading with Russia and Belarus. According to Keldo, the Taxation Act stands in the way, since such disclosure would involve business data that the law currently does not permit the state to release. Amending the law would be required to change this.

Keldo noted that annual business reports in Estonia are already publicly available, meaning anyone can find out what services a company provides, which countries it exports to, or who it cooperates with. However, the state itself is currently barred from compiling and releasing targeted information specifically about trade with Russia and Belarus.

Asked whether a private individual could legally compile and publish such a database, the minister said he could not answer and that data protection experts would need to weigh in.

Government has not discussed changes

Keldo said neither his ministry nor the government has yet discussed whether the law should be amended to allow publication of such lists. He said the issue would now be examined, including through consultations with the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, employers and entrepreneurs, to gauge how widespread such uneven business practices are among Estonian companies.

He stressed that before any disclosure, it must be decided exactly what information would be published — company names alone might mean little to the public, raising the question of whether beneficial owners and shareholders should also be named, which touches on personal data protection.

As a first step, Keldo said he would support a full EU-wide ban on importing goods from Russia and Belarus, adding that he believes most entrepreneurs favor equal market conditions and competition.

Meanwhile, Latvia's Central Statistical Bureau published on Thursday its first list of around 170 local companies that continue exporting to or importing from Russia and Belarus. Amendments adopted in Latvia require the bureau to update the list monthly. The companies listed are not violating international sanctions, since private firms may still trade with Russia and Belarus in areas not covered by restrictions, such as food and medicine.