Committee chairman Madis Timpson (Reform) said after the bill's first reading and consultations with interest groups, it became clear that the draft required more work.

The most important additions have been the definitions outlining consent and acts of a sexual nature.

Under the amendment, four principles must be fulfilled simultaneously: consent must be given knowingly and voluntarily, it must be expressed verbally or in another clearly understandable way before sexual intercourse or another act of a sexual nature, and it must exist throughout the duration of the act.

An act of a sexual nature is defined as "sexual intercourse and other physical activity that has an objectively sexual meaning and in which another person's right to sexual self-determination is significantly violated."

"With this bill, we are sending society a clear signal that sexual intercourse without consent is rape," Timpson stressed.

"Hopefully, this bill will also give victims more courage to file complaints and help move from a rape report to the initiation of criminal proceedings. This is important so that incidents can be investigated at all and possible sex offenders brought before the court," he added.

The committee decided to send the government-initiated draft law to the Riigikogu plenary session for a second reading on June 3. If the bill passes, the committee proposes holding the final vote on the bill on June 10.

If adopted, the law will enter into force on January 1, 2027.

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