Estonian authorities have moved a step closer to fully reopening the country’s event sector, lifting the country’s previous 50% occupancy limit for all indoor public spaces.
Conference and concert venues will now be allowed to operate at full capacity, as will restaurants, museums and shops.
News of the move nearly coincided with a planned June 28th change that expands the maximum permitted attendance at indoor events to 1,000 people and outdoor events to 5,000 people.
The latest easing of restrictions highlights the relative freedom that event organisers enjoy in Estonia, where Covid-19 infection rates have returned to relatively low levels. Mask requirements were lifted in May and there are no special requirements for catering. Some event organisers have decided to keep their own mask rules in place, however.
Testing for event participants isn’t required so long as the event falls within the current attendance limits. Larger gatherings, up to 6,000 indoors and 12,000 outdoors, can be held if participants undergo testing or hold the Covid-19 Green Certificate.
International event planners have already been taking advantage of the country’s low restrictions and capacity for easy organising, with major sporting meets such as Rally Estonia and the European Athletics U20 and U23 championships scheduled to take place in July. International conferences will resume from August.
Travel to the country is also relatively open as visitors who have been fully vaccinated or who are arriving from countries where the 14-day infection rate is below 150 per 100,000 people are not required to provide negative tests or self-isolate. As of June 28th, that list of countries included all of Europe with the exception of the UK.
Image shows: Latitude 59, Estonia’s largest tech Conference
