European payment order

In Estonia, the county courts with the appropriate jurisdiction are competent to conduct the procedures for European orders for payment.

A European order for payment may be contested by submitting an appeal in accordance with the procedure laid down in Section 489¹ of the Code of Civil Procedure. The appeal is to be lodged with the county court that issued the order for payment. The ruling given on the appeal may be challenged in the district court with the relevant jurisdiction.

Exceptionally, at the request of a participant in proceedings where new evidence has come to light, an application for review of a court judgment which has entered into force may also be submitted to the Supreme Court in accordance with the procedure laid down in Chapter 68 of the Code of Civil Procedure.

The means of communication permitted in the European order for payment procedure and accepted by the Estonian courts are delivery by hand, post, fax and electronic transmission channels, in accordance with the format requirements and the rules laid down in the Code of Civil Procedure. More detailed rules for submitting electronic documents to the courts and requirements for the form of documents are laid down in a Regulation enacted by the Minister for Justice.

In accordance with Article 21(2)(b) of the Regulation, a European order for payment is accepted for enforcement in Estonia if it is in Estonian or English or if it is accompanied by a translation into Estonian or English.