VISION 2015 2015 AMCHAM ESTONIA VISION ESTONIA AMCHAM LEXTAL Tallinn Rävala pst. 4 10143 Tallinn Estonia t +372 6400 250 f +372 6400 260 e [email protected] LEXTAL Riga 2A Republikas square LV-1010 Riga Latvia t +371 672 833 91 f +371 672 406 97 e [email protected] LEXTAL Vilnius Olimpieciu g. 1 – 2 Entrance 1, Floor 2 LT-09200 Vilnius Lithuania t +370 5 210 27 33 f +370 5 210 27 32 e [email protected] ADVOCACY • ACCESS • CONNECTIONS • INFORMATION Amcham Board of Directors & Staff KATHLEEN NAGLEE NIELS HOLLENDER ANDRUS ALBER AmCham Vice- AmCham Treasurer AmCham President President Managing Director Founder International School of Pan-Baltic Trading Expat Relocation Estonia Group KAI TammIST RAIN LAANE ELVIRA TULVIK Member-at-Large Member-at-Large Member-at-Large Baltics Communica- Country Manager Attorney at Law tions Manager Microsoft Estonia KPMG Legal Philip Morris Baltics CARL PUCCI BRETT MAKENS Member-at-Large Ex-Officio Member of Head of American the Board Operations Economic Officer DARIA SIVOVOL Datel AS U.S. Embassy Tallinn Executive Director MARINA PUSHKAR Executive Assistant/ LINDSEY TRAVERS Project Coordinator Intern Layout&Design: Anneli Orav ∙ Editors: Daria Sivovol, Marina Pushkar, Lindsey Travers ∙ Cover photo: Marina Pushkar ∙ Printing: Bloom The content of this publication must not be reproduced in full or in part without the prior written permission of the publisher. Disclaimer: All company data was provided either by AmCham members directly or, if not, from the most recent data on the AmCham database. American Chamber of Commerce Estonia ∙ Tallinn Business Center, Harju 6, 10130 Tallinn, Estonia Phone: +372 6 310 522 ∙ GSM: +372 53 329970 ∙ [email protected] ∙ www.amcham.ee American Chamber of Commerce Estonia Tallinn Business Center, Harju 6, 10130 Tallinn, Estonia Tel: +372 6 310 522 Fax: + 372 6 310 521 www.amcham.ee ADVOCACY • ACCESS • CONNECTIONS • INFORMATION Contents 3 Message from the AmCham President 5 TopICS OF THE YeaR Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership TTIP: A Closer Look at Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) 6 Intellectual Property Protection Amendments to the Offences against IPR 8 Intellectual Property – Policy Focus for Almost a Decade 10 Corporate TaxationT e-Estonia and Taxation 12 Recent Amendments to Estonian Tax Law 14 Women in Leadership Program Acknowledge and Own your Passion 16 Corporate Responsibility Sustainability and Corporate Success 20 Estonian Migration Policy Reform New developments in the Estonian Migration Policy 22 Amcham Events 2014 26 Membership Directory 34 American Chamber of Commerce Estonia Tallinn Business Center, Harju 6, 10130 Tallinn, Estonia Tel: +372 6 310 522 Fax: + 372 6 310 521 www.amcham.ee NATURAL CAFFEINE NATURAL Coca-Cola has significantly less FLAVORS caffeine than that is found in the same amount of brewed coffee. Coca-Cola‘s secret formula uses only natural flavours and no added preservatives. 4 WATER What‘s in my SUGAR Water makes up more than 85% of Coca-Cola and can contribute to our daily water intake. Sugar provides the sweetness ? that is essential for Coca-Cola‘s delicious taste. For energy balance, all calories count. Coca-Cola contains 105 calories and 27g of sugar per 250ml. PHOSPHORIC ACID Phosphoric acid contains phosphorus, a mineral found in CARBON lots of foodstuffs. Phosphoric acid helps give Coca-Cola its DIOXIDE deliciously tangy taste. Every Coca-Cola contains bubbles made from carbon and oxygen that give its unique thirst quenching sensation. CARAMEL E150d Caramel colour gives Coca-Cola its rich, dark colour. It is used to colour a wide range of foods. ONLY NATURAL FLAVOURS. NO ADDED PRESERVATIVES. S NCE 1886. coca-colacompany.com Company. Coca-Cola of The trademarks registered bottle are and the contour Coke – Coca-Cola, © 2013 Message from the AmCham President 5 Dear AmCham Members and Friends, business. In 2014, we launched the AccessUSA Academy, which held 3 events with speakers from Silicon Valley, Bos- 2014 marked a significant point in Estonian-US relations. ton, and Washington DC. We also launched a new Travel It was very important that in the heights of geopolitical and Tourism Committee, chaired by Bart Westerhout GM of tensions, President Obama decided to visit Estonia and the Swissôtel Tallinn, This is our 7th committee and a unique deliver a strong message on our transatlantic partnership. opportunity to bring tourism companies, hotels, airlines and Equally important in Estonian-US relations was the Prime other interested parties around the same table in Estonia. Minister’s decision to arrange the first ever US trip with a business delegation where several AmCham members par- Regional cooperation and outreach has continued to be in ticipated during December. our focus this year as well. In 2013 and2014, we launched a successful collaboration with AmCham Finland. Our mem- Although on a somewhat different scale, both of those bers have now started asking about plans regarding our events show the continued importance of smoothing out southern neighbors. I would like to inform you that discus- economic relations between Europe and the USA. Am- sions have already begun with the AmChams in Latvia and Cham is thrilled that we were able to draw attention to the Lithuania to tighten our relations and to work together in importance of progress in TTIP negotiations. We devoted the near future. I hope to share productive news on these our Spring Gala Dinner, our meeting with US Senior Trade recent relationships with you in early 2015. Representative Elena Bryan, and this year’s Foreign Inves- tors Summit to the discussion of TTIP. At one meeting, it As always, any organization is only as ambitious and suc- was also significant in PM Rõivas’s speech that he empha- cessful, as its members and managers. I would like to thank sized the need to move fast in these trade negotiations. the AmCham Estonia Board Members, both the newly Furthermore, during the new European Commission Presi- elected in spring as well as those on the previous Board. dent’s speech, an important focus area or the new EU Com- Thank you to Daria and Marina, our daily activity would not mission was the topic of TTIP. be possible without your excellent work. I would also like to recognize our Committee Chairs, our members, Ambassa- In 2014 AmCham also cooperated closely with the US em- dor Levine and the US Embassy staff for their tremendous bassy to help our messages reach outside of Tallinn. We support towards AmCham during this past year. arranged a trip to Northeast Estonia and facilitated busi- ness mentoring in Rapla County. Next year, we want to plan more valuable visits to other regions of Estonia. As in previous years, we are trying to create new oppor- Andrus Alber tunities for our members to learn, network and drive their President of AmCham Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership TTIP: A Closer Look at Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) 6 The value of the goods and services that cross the Atlantic expressed concern that between the EU and the US amounts to €2 billion every standards-related meas- day. European and American firms hold nearly €2 trillion ures may pose a greater in investment stock in each other’s jurisdictions. The trans- burden on SMEs seeking atlantic economy is the biggest commercial relationship to export to the EU than in the world. But if trade already flows so abundantly, why on larger companies.”* negotiate a new EU-US trade agreement? What impact would it have on the companies in EU and Estonia? Would Ambassador Michael companies in Estonia benefit from it? How? These are the Forman also stated from questions that AmCham Estonia has asked speakers and the U.S. side that, “Near- panelists from various industries and business sectors to ly 95,000 U.S. small busi- tackle at TTIP-focused events this year. nesses export to the EU, sustaining good jobs at More specifically, the gears have shifted to focus on small home. Tackling trade barriers in the EU that may dispropor- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). SMEs, however, tionately affect small businesses, and expanding market have major restrictions on transatlantic opportunities be- access for U.S. firms of all sizes through T-TIP, will help U.S. cause of the trade barriers that impact them. Some of these companies, farmers, and workers unlock opportunity by barriers include: fixed costs, geographical challenges, cus- finding new European customers and boost job growth.”* toms requirements, unequal tariffs, technical regulations, and more. Reducing or removing trade barriers will help Though there are many TTIP negotiations occurring stimulate growth in both economies, create new jobs, and throughout both sides, one key aspect that should not be open a new form of global communication between the underestimated is SMEs and the positive affects they would U.S. and the EU. have on both economies if trade barriers were eliminated. A press release from the Office of the United States Trade Facts & Figures Representation earlier this year focused on the importance of • There are more than 20 million SMEs in the EU rep- SMEs and why they shouldn’t be overlooked in negotiations. resenting 99% of businesses, and are a key driver for economic growth, innovation, employment and social “The EU is an important export destination for U.S. SMEs. integration. SME merchandise exports to the EU totaled $67 billion in • SMEs’ contribution to EU GDP was €3.39 trillion in 2012. 2010 and $76 billion in 2011 (latest available data). Howev- • In the EU, SMEs provide two thirds of all private sector er, many SMEs reported that EU technical regulations and jobs and 85% of net new jobs between 2002 and 2010 other trade barriers limit their ability to export, and they were created by SMEs.