Eelarveaasta

Eelarveaasta is an Estonian term that translates roughly as “pre-budget year.” It refers to the calendar year that serves as the planning horizon for preparing the budget for the following year. The concept is used in public finance to distinguish the year in which budgeting work and forecasting take place from the actual budget year that receives appropriations and is implemented.

In practice, the eelarveaasta is the period during which macroeconomic assumptions, revenue projections, and expenditure ceilings are developed, and draft budgets for the upcoming budget year are prepared by the government and ministries. The term appears in official documents and budget legislation to mark the preparatory phase of the annual budget cycle.

Example: if the state budget for 2026 is being prepared in 2025, then 2025 is the eelarveaasta for 2026. The concept is used similarly in local government budgeting, where municipalities prepare next year’s budget during the eelarveaasta.

Etymology: the word is formed from eel-, a prefix meaning “pre-” or “before,” together with arve (budget/estimate) and aasta (year). The term thus denotes a preparatory or planning year within the budgeting cycle.

See also: eelarve, riigieelarve, eelarveprotsess.