Relieving unemployment
Social jobs creation grants will be available for private sector companies
that currently employ at least 20 people and that plan to create 5 to 30 new jobs of a social nature. These grants will be up to 4,350 Estonian kroons plus social security tax and unemployment insurance payment per month for each employee. The new employees must officially reside in Tallinn and be registered as unemployed at the Estonian Unemployment Insurance Fund (formerly Labour Market Board).
Jobs creation grants for companies creating at least two new jobs.
Companies eligible for the grant must be at least 51% owned by private individuals and can have up to 250 employees. The maximum amount of support is 300,000 Estonian kroons per company for purchasing fixed assets.
Lowering the rent of city’s non-residential premises
by 20% for the period of two years for tenant companies that create at least three new jobs.
Lowering the payment for the right of superficies on municipal land
by 20 % for the perod of two years for companies that create at least five new jobs.
Establishment of a municipal waste handling and street cleaning agency.
The city will analyse whether a municipal agency would be more capable of providing city maintenance and waste handling services than current contractors, thereby also contributing to a more pleasant city environment and to job creation.
Tallinn employment and entrepreneurship fair “Tallinn töötab” (Tallinn Is Working)
will take place at the Song Festival grounds on September 10th, 2009. Visitors will be advised on matters related to labour law, employment and entrepreneurship in co-operation with relevant state agencies and NGOs.
Support for the Business Sector
Information briefings on municipal support measures for new and small enterprises
In 2009, information briefings, seminars and training programmes will be organised for new and small enterprises. Business counselling is available daily at the business information desk. The Tallinn Business Mentor Club provides a special series of events for companies intending to enter export markets. The traditional Tallinn Entrepreneurship Day will be organised in autumn 2009.
Financial support measures for entrepreneurs
Currently the City of Tallinn has 8 financial support measures for entrepreneurs: start-up grants, training grants, scholarships for studies abroad, mentoring grants, new job creation grants, trade fair grants, patenting grants and cluster support grants. Start-up grants are very important for starting business activities and creating new jobs. The city’s financial support measures are aimed at the creation of new enterprises and jobs and improving the competitiveness of existing companies.
New industrial park to be established at Suur-Sõjamäe St. in the Lasnamäe district
The City of Tallinn has established two industrial parks which provide technical infrastructure for manufacturing companies. Most premises have been sold to various manufacturing companies or a right of superficies has been constituted. The Lasnamäe industrial park has already welcomed seven companies with more than 1,000 employees, and seven more companies will commence work at the end of next year.
To meet the need to create opportunities for new companies starting or expanding existing business activities, a detailed plan will be initiated at 29b Suur-Sõjamäe St. The detailed plan must be ready by the beginning of 2010 when technical infrastructure and construction will begin. By the end of 2010, Tallinn will have 16 new plots equipped with the necessary infrastructure available for building production facilities that will create new manufacturing jobs.
Business incubators and the launch of an incubator for creative industries
Currently there are three business incubators in Tallinn: Ülemiste, Kopli and Mustamäe (Tehnopolis). Business incubators provide important support services for start-ups, which enhances the sustainability of new companies and enables faster growth compared with new companies operating in regular conditions.
In autumn 2009 a new incubator for creative industries (designers, applied and media artists, fashion designers, interior designers, architects, etc.) will be opened. The main goals of this incubator are to enliven and diversify business activities in creative industries, improving their competitiveness and ensuring sustainability.
Stimulating Youth Entrepreneurship
For the purposes of improving youth entrepreneurship, the City of Tallinn has initiated cooperation with higher education establishments. This will include regular presentations by the city’s business consultants at Tallinn’s Universities.
In addition, gymnasium level students will have meetings with entrepreneurs. A youth conference will be organised in the framework of Tallinn Entrepreneurship Day. A joint stand with a number of entrepreneurs’ associations will be opened at the “Teeviit 2009” fair.
Continued support for major investments - jobs secured
Investments made by the city secure existing jobs and help create new ones. Reductions in the volume of the city’s investments would result in job loss. Therefore the city must continue its investments in major infrastructure projects. The city has funds available for partnership projects with the private sector in the amount of 1 billion EEK. Additional resources are needed in order to reach this objective, eg. budget loans.
2010 will see the construction of several new infrastructure objects, which will be partially financed from EU structural funds. The largest among these projects is the construction of the Ülemiste intersection, at an estimated cost of 1 billion EEK, which will provide direct or indirect employment for 500 to 700 people.