Estonia's leading retail company TKM Group, which includes Kaubamaja and the Selver supermarket chain, told "Aktuaalne kaamera" it has seen bureaucracy growing.

One example it provided is the requirement to install electric car chargers in shopping center parking lots.

"For instance, our group gave feedback that this represents a very large financial burden for businesses, and although an impact analysis is included when building a charging station, the cost per vehicle can reach €40,000 to €100,000. Based on our own example, if I normally spend about 100 working hours on a report, this year, with the obligation of sustainability reporting, it took about 1,500 working hours," said Erika Mandel, Head of Sustainability at TKM Group.

In March, an Efficiency and Economic Growth Council made up of entrepreneurs was established under the State Chancellery to identify excessive bureaucracy.

Even before the council was formed, the Employers' Confederation began collecting proposals from companies to reduce regulations. More than 140 ideas were submitted. These concern unnecessary laws, European Union requirements, and reporting obligations.

"Some data has to be submitted multiple times to different institutions, even though it has already been entered into another information system. For example, employee numbers in the employment register, not to mention company addresses, turnover, and all tax data. One solution could be to simplify and automate the use of data within the state to enable cross-use of information," said Raul Aron, analyst-adviser at the Employers' Confederation.

The Government Office has also received 100 proposals from companies and institutions.

In the coming months, concrete decisions can be made based on these, said Keit Kasemets, state secretary.

"We should focus on proposals with the greatest impact, and that impact can be measured in working hours saved by companies and money no longer spent on fulfilling unnecessary requirements. Each month over the next year, these proposals will be reviewed and put into action," he said.

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