Elektrooniline Riigi Teataja (commonly abbreviated eRT) is the web-based outlet for publication of laws and official announcements of the Republic of Estonia. It is modelled after the older paper-based publication, Riigi Teataja

Riigi Teataja

Riigi Teataja is a public journal of the Republic of Estonia. The first issue was published in 27 November 1918.Since 1 June 2002, Riigi Teataja has been published in electronic form, as Elektrooniline Riigi Teataja, in parallel with the paper version....

. Under Estonian law, Elektrooniline Riigi Teataja is since 1 June 2002 considered the authoritative reference source for laws of Estonia. Just like Riigi Teataja

Riigi Teataja

Riigi Teataja is a public journal of the Republic of Estonia. The first issue was published in 27 November 1918.Since 1 June 2002, Riigi Teataja has been published in electronic form, as Elektrooniline Riigi Teataja, in parallel with the paper version....

, eRT is published by Riigikantselei

Riigikantselei

Riigikantselei is an executive office of Republic of Estonia. The office's purpose is to support the Republic's executive branch in enacting the political decisions. It is also known for its responsibility to publish Riigi Teataja and its electronic counterpart, Elektrooniline Riigi Teataja....

.

Since 1 January 2006, eRT is the only form of official publication for most Estonian laws, and paper-based Riigi Teataja

Riigi Teataja

Riigi Teataja is a public journal of the Republic of Estonia. The first issue was published in 27 November 1918.Since 1 June 2002, Riigi Teataja has been published in electronic form, as Elektrooniline Riigi Teataja, in parallel with the paper version....

 issues are only printed occasionally, for checking purposes.

Legal effects

Unless otherwise specified by Riigikogu

Riigikogu

The Riigikogu is the unicameral parliament of Estonia. All important state-related questions pass through the Riigikogu...

, Estonian laws are enacted 10 days after official publication. Although other methods are still possible, official publication is nowadays almost always done through the eRT.

Predecessors

Introduction of Elektrooniline Riigi Teataja made obsolete several earlier electronic databases of Estonian laws, most notably, the privately maintained Estlex system.

Background

Estonia is one of the first countries in the world to have an official electronic publication for legal texts. Most member countries of European Union

European Union

The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...

 now publish their laws electronically, but usually still without full legal force. Furthermore, most other countries that do publish their laws in electronic form, do it only after the enactment of these laws.

Security

The information security

Information security

Information security means protecting information and information systems from unauthorized access, use, disclosure, disruption, modification, perusal, inspection, recording or destruction....

 aspect of primary interest for an official publication of laws is integrity

Integrity

Integrity is a concept of consistency of actions, values, methods, measures, principles, expectations, and outcomes. In ethics, integrity is regarded as the honesty and truthfulness or accuracy of one's actions...

. In order to ascertain integrity, eRT uses SSL

Transport Layer Security

Transport Layer Security and its predecessor, Secure Sockets Layer , are cryptographic protocols that provide communication security over the Internet...

cryptography for all legally binding content it serves.

External links

• Official website
• eRT: Riigi Teataja seadus, the version in force from 14 July 2007