UNITED NATIONS CRC Convention on the Rights of the Child Distr. GENERAL CRC/C/15/Add.196 17 March 2003 Original: ENGLISH COMMITTEE ON THE RIGHTS OF THE CHILD Thirty-second session CONSIDERATION OF REPORTS SUBMITTED BY STATES PARTIES UNDER ARTICLE 44 OF THE CONVENTION Concluding observations: Estonia 1. The Committee considered the initial report of Estonia (CRC/C/8/Add.45), which was received on 7 June 2001, at its 836th and 837th meetings (see CRC/C/SR.836 and 837), held on 14 January 2003, and at the 862nd meeting, held on 31 January 2003, adopted the following concluding observations. A. Introduction 2. The Committee notes that the initial report (which was regrettably submitted eight years after it was due) follows the guidelines for reporting and appreciates the detailed and informative written replies which were submitted. The Committee acknowledges that the presence of a well-qualified and cross-sectoral delegation contributed to a better understanding of the process of implementation of the Convention in the State party. B. Positive aspects 3. The Committee welcomes: (a) The adoption of new legislation, such as the Juvenile Sanctions Act 1999, Social Benefits for Disabled Persons Act 1999, the new Penal Code 2002, the Amendment to the Basic and Upper Secondary Schools Act 2002, and Regulation No. 209 of 2002 on the procedure for creating conditions for learning the mother tongue and studying the national culture for students in Estonian-language schools whose mother tongue is not Estonian; GE.03-40834 (E) 020403