Eesti Laul 2026. In English

1. General Provisions

1.1 This Regulation (hereinafter "Regulation") sets out the conditions and procedure for the song contest "EESTI LAUL 2026" (hereinafter "Contest") announced by Estonian Public Broadcasting (hereinafter "ERR").

1.2 The Contest consists of a preliminary round and a final (14.02.2026).

1.3 The organization and related decisions of the Contest are carried out by ERR.

1.4 ERR contacts: Faehlmanni 12, 15029 Tallinn; 7th floor, room 7113; e-mail: eestilaul@err.ee.

1.5 By participating in the Contest, the participants agree to the conditions of this Regulation and to the rules of the Eurovision Song Contest established by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), undertake to comply with them, to cooperate with ERR in organizing the Contest and to grant ERR all rights necessary for the use of the songs, their performances and recordings, as well as promotional materials related to the song.

1.6 Participants confirm that their participation in the Contest does not infringe the intellectual property rights (e.g. copyright, trademark rights) of third parties and they release ERR from any liability to third parties for claims arising from possible infringements of intellectual property rights.

1.7 Participants are aware of the processing of their personal data to the extent and in the manner specified in Section 11 of this Regulation.

1.8 By participating in the Contest, participants agree to comply at ERR premises and at other Contest-related events/recordings with the rules established by ERR to ensure the safety and health of participants.

2. Songs admitted to the Contest

2.1 The competition song (hereinafter "Song") submitted to the Contest must meet the following requirements:
2.1.1 the performance length of the song is up to 3:00 (three) minutes;
2.1.2 the song must have original lyrics and music;
2.1.3 in all rounds, the song must have the same author(s) as at the time of submission;
2.1.4 the lyrics and music of the song must not have been published (released or made public) by the participants or third parties before 04.12.2025 at 21:00. ERR will publish the songs qualifying from the preliminary round to the final unless ERR decides otherwise;
2.1.5 the song must not be contrary to law, good morals, the rules of the Contest or the Eurovision Song Contest, nor harm the reputation of the Contest or Eurovision. Lyrics or content of a political, commercial or similar nature are not permitted. Obscene expressions that are or may be considered unethical, offensive, vulgar, defamatory or inappropriate or otherwise contrary to public morals or decency are not permitted.

2.2 The performer(s) and performance(s) of the song must meet the following requirements:
2.2.1 no more than 6 persons may be present on stage during the performance of the song;
2.2.2 in all rounds, the song must have the same soloist(s) as at the time of submission;
2.2.3 no performer may have a date of birth later than 01.05.2010;
2.2.4 the performer of the song may not be a person who in the same year performs another country's song at the Eurovision Song Contest or is a candidate to do so;
2.2.5 the performance of the song must not be contrary to law, good morals, the rules of the Contest or Eurovision nor harm the reputation of the Contest or Eurovision. The performance of the song must not contain political, commercial and/or obscene expressions, gestures or elements (e.g. clothing) that are or may be considered unethical, offensive, vulgar, defamatory or inappropriate or otherwise contrary to public morals or decency.

3. Authors and Performers

3.1 Authors, author collectives (hereinafter "author(s)") who are citizens of the Republic of Estonia, foreign residents of the Republic of Estonia within the meaning of the Income Tax Act (hereinafter "residents") or non-residents may participate in the Contest. The song must have at least one author who is a citizen or resident of the Republic of Estonia. ERR has the right to make exceptions to the provisions of this point. All authors must prove their authorship if necessary.

3.2 The performer(s) of the song may be citizens, residents or non-residents of the Republic of Estonia.

3.3 One author of music and/or lyrics or a collective of authors may participate in the Contest with up to 5 (five) songs.

3.4 One performer or collective of performers may perform up to 5 (five) songs in the Contest.

3.5 A participation fee (including VAT) must be paid to participate in the Contest. The amount depends on the submission deadline:
3.5.1 For songs submitted between 19.09.2025 – 17.10.2025 (23:59): the participation fee for an Estonian-language song is €50, for a foreign-language or multilingual song €100;
3.5.2 For songs submitted between 18.10.2025 (00:00) – 20.10.2025 (12:00): the participation fee for an Estonian-language song is €150, for a foreign-language or multilingual song €250.

3.6 The participation fee must be paid to ERR's account via bank link. The payment order must indicate the performer and the title of the song. If the author(s) or performer(s) submit more than one song to the Contest, the participation fee must be paid separately for each song. The participation fee is non-refundable.

3.7 Each finalist song's team shall appoint from among themselves one (1) authorized representative who is authorized by the members of the team (authors of music and lyrics, performers, phonogram producer, choreographer, etc.) to conclude with the organizer the contract referred to in Section 8 and with whom the organizer communicates. The representative is responsible for issues related to the song and is obliged to attend stage show meetings.

4. Submission of the Song

4.1 Submission of the song to the Contest takes place from 19.09.2025 at 12:00 until 20.10.2025 at 12:00. The song together with other materials listed in the Regulation must be uploaded to ERR's website eestilaul.ee.

4.2 To participate in the Contest, the following must be submitted and uploaded:
4.2.1 the phonogram of the song in WAV format (file size up to 50MB);
4.2.2 the lyrics of the song (if the lyrics are not in Estonian, then also their translation into Estonian) as a .doc file. The full version of the lyrics as performed, including all repetitions and refrains (maximum total file size 5MB);
4.2.3 a short biography of the performer(s) as a .doc file (maximum file size 5MB);
4.2.4 promo photos of the performer(s) (2-3 photos, jpg/jpeg/png, maximum total file size 20MB).

4.3 The authors and performers of submitted songs will not be disclosed before the announcement of the results of the preliminary round.

5. Preselection

5.1 From the list of songs that comply with the regulations, the preselection jury selects a total of 12 (twelve) songs for the competition. The preselection jury evaluates the songs blindly (i.e., they do not know the authors and performers of the songs). The identities of the jury members are not disclosed before the results of the preselection are announced.

5.2 In addition to the songs qualifying for the final, the preselection jury selects 2 (two) so-called backup songs: to be used in case any of the selected final songs do not meet the regulations or need to be replaced for other reasons.

5.3 The preselection jury consists of at least 25 (twenty-five) members, including recognized professional musicians, performers, composers, singers, producers, as well as music journalists, DJs, lecturers, and ordinary people of various ages who are music listeners and for whom music is written.

5.4 The names, authors, and performers of the songs qualifying for the final will be announced (on ERR programs, websites, and/or social media accounts) no later than 07.11.2025. The points awarded to the songs and their ranking will not be disclosed.

5.5 The world premiere of the final songs will take place no later than 04.12.2025, unless ERR decides otherwise.

6. Preparation for the Final

6.1 The group performing the final song must send ERR a separate audio track (stems) of the song by 01.12.2025 at the latest, with technical requirements described in Appendix 2.

6.2 Changes to the mix and production of the final song's phonogram (master) may be made before 23:59 on 01.12.2025. The tempo, key, and form of the song cannot be changed. Subsequent changes will not be considered by ERR.

6.3 The group must produce a music video for the final song and submit it to ERR by 01.12.2025 at the latest.

6.4 The final concept and one-shot video of the stage show for the selected songs must be submitted to ERR by 08.12.2025 at the latest.

6.5 The authors and performers of the songs that qualify for the final must be available for performances and interviews on various ERR programs, rehearsals, and promotional events related to the contest from 04.11.2025 to 14.02.2026.

6.6 During the period from 04.11.2025 to 14.02.2026, meetings, postcard recordings, rehearsals, interviews, and other activities with performers and authors will take place under the following conditions:
6.6.1 Postcard recordings of performers will occur at the ERR studio from 16.01.2026 to 18.01.2026;
6.6.2 The date, time, and duration of the song rehearsal will be determined by ERR;
6.6.3 The soloist(s) and author(s) of the song must be the same as on the phonogram mentioned in points 4.2.1 and 6.1, unless ERR has reached a different agreement for a valid reason;
6.6.4 The final decision on the stage performance, including styling, choreography, decorations, visuals, staging, sound, and direction, rests with ERR;
6.6.5 The person(s) mentioned in point 3.7 shall ensure the participation of performers on the dates provided by ERR at all rehearsals and live broadcasts;
6.6.6 Authors and performers or their representatives must participate in information meetings

6.7 If performer(s)'s participation in the final is hindered by temporary force majeure, but ERR has substantial ground to assume that it has not hindered performer(s)'s participation in the Contest or Eurovision neither the preparation for participation, ERR has the right to make concessions based on the written application submitted by the song authors (including the use of full phonogram).

6.8 Authors, performers and the performing group of the selected song have the obligation to fulfill the participation rules stipulated in Annex 3 of the Regulation.

6.9 Presentation of songs
6.9.1 From the submission of materials mentioned in point 4.2 until the end of Contest, ERR has the right to use the songs, performances, phonograms, music videos and other materials in all possible ways in the context of the Contest (including the Contest related promotional events and campaigns). ERR has the right to grant sub-license to a third party for the same purpose.
6.9.2 From 04.12.2025 at 21:00 authors and performers can make the songs public and contribute to the promotion of songs in all possible ways (except granting permission to third parties to advertise their products and/or services), unless ERR decides otherwise.

6.10 ERR can grant EBU or a third party nominated by it the right to record the final related preparations (e.g., meetings, back-stage) with the purpose to use these in the documentary film about the Eurovision Song Contest. Participants are aware that their personal data is processed for artistic purposes. Participants grant permission to use the song and performance related copyrights and copyright related rights for the purpose of the documentary production and usage (e.g., recording stage rehearsals and live performances). Recording is done in accordance with the schedule coordinated by ERR.

7. Conducting the Final

7.1 The final will be held as a live broadcast on 14.02.2026. The songs will be performed live on air with background playback.

7.2 A total of 12 (twelve) songs will compete in the final.

7.3 The order of performances in the final will be determined by ERR.

7.4 The winning song of the contest will be selected in two rounds of the final. In the first round, three songs will be chosen by jury voting and televote. In the superfinal, the winner will be selected by televote.

7.5 If the televote fails due to technical or other reasons, the winner will be determined solely by jury voting. If a technical manipulation is detected by the signal operator during voting, ERR has the right to disregard the votes for that song.

7.6 The jury for the final consists of at least 7 (seven) members, including international music experts actively involved in the creation, publishing, or teaching of pop music.

7.7 ERR has the right to submit the winning song to represent Estonia at the 70th Eurovision Song Contest. If the winning song cannot be sent to Eurovision (e.g., if it does not meet the Eurovision Song Contest rules according to EBU), ERR has the right to submit the second-place song instead.

7.8 The author(s) of the winning song grant ERR a free license to make arrangements (adaptations) of the song and to use it, and the performers of the winning song agree to perform it on ERR programs and at the Eesti Laul 2027 final concert upon ERR's request.

8. Conclusion of Agreements and Resulting Obligations

8.1 Written agreements will be concluded with the authors, performers, and phonogram producers of the songs selected for the final between 15.12.2025-09.02.2026.

These agreements will define the parties' rights, obligations, and responsibilities regarding the participation of the songs in the contest and potential participation in the Eurovision Song Contest.

The agreements will also regulate the use of intellectual property rights related to the songs, their performances, and recordings.

8.2 The agreement referred to in Section 8.1 will be signed with ERR by a person authorized by the members of the song collective.

To this end, each member of the song collective (music and lyric author(s), performer(s), phonogram producer, choreographer, etc.) must sign a power of attorney in the form provided by ERR, authorizing the designated person to sign the agreement referred to in Section 8.1 on their behalf.

8.3 All powers of attorney signed by the members of the song collective must be submitted to ERR together with the music video of the song referred to in Section 5.5 no later than 01.12.2025.

8.4 If the rights of an author, performer, or phonogram producer are exercised through a collective management organization, ERR will acquire from the author, performer, and phonogram producer only the rights not already covered by the agreement with the collective management organization.

Rights holders who are members of a collective management organization (Estonian Authors' Society, Estonian Phonogram Producers' Union, Estonian Performers' Union) must register the song with the respective collective management organization before submitting the song to the contest.

9. Prizes and Fees

9.1 The Estonian Authors' Society will award the following prizes (net amounts) to the authors who are members:

9.1.1. To the author(s) of the song that placed first in the final – 10,000 euros;
9.1.2. To the author(s) of the song that placed second in the final – 3,000 euros;
9.1.3. To the author(s) of the song that placed third in the final – 2,000 euros;
9.1.4. The prize money will be divided among the song's authors in proportion to the authorship percentages registered with the Estonian Authors' Society and will be transferred to the authors' personal bank accounts by the Estonian Authors' Society within 30 days after the final.

9.2 Fees will be paid to the performers of the songs presented in the final as follows:
9.2.1. To the performer(s) of the song that placed first in the final – a scholarship of 1,000 euros, paid by the Estonian Performers' Union;
9.2.2. To the performer(s) of the song that placed second in the final – a scholarship of 2,000 euros, paid by the Estonian Performers' Union;
9.2.3. To the performer(s) of the song that placed third in the final – a scholarship of 3,000 euros, paid by the Estonian Performers' Union;
9.2.4. The payment of scholarships by the Estonian Performers' Union will follow the terms and conditions specified in the scholarship payment guidelines.

9.3 The Estonian Phonogram Producers' Union will pay a fee of 3,000 euros to the phonogram producer of the song that placed first in the final.

9.4 ERR will not pay any fees to participants for the use of their copyrights or related rights, except for members of collective management organizations. In such cases, ERR will pay the fee to the collective management organization based on the agreement with the collective management organization.

9.5 ERR will not reimburse authors, performers, or phonogram producers for expenses incurred due to participation in the competition and/or the Eurovision Song Contest (e.g., transportation and parking costs), unless specified in this regulation or in the contract concluded in accordance with section 8.1.

10. Participation of the Winning Song in the Eurovision Song Contest

10.1 The participation of the winning song in the Eurovision Song Contest will take place under at least the following conditions:

10.1.1 ERR's right to send, and the performer(s)' obligation to participate as part of the ERR delegation for up to three (3) weeks during the 70th Eurovision Song Contest, including the semi-final, the final if qualified, and related events. The performers are also obliged to participate in the Eurovision Song Contest preparation process, meetings, recordings, and briefings organized by ERR and EBU. ERR retains the final decision-making authority regarding the composition of the delegation.

10.1.2 ERR's obligation to cover the expenses related to sending the person(s) referred to in 10.1.1 to the Eurovision Song Contest, under the conditions and rules applicable to business trips.

10.1.3 The version of the winning song performed at the Eurovision Song Contest, during rehearsals and live broadcasts, must be the same version that was selected as the contest-winning song, unless changes are necessary to comply with Eurovision rules.

10.1.4 ERR retains the decision-making authority regarding the stage performance of the song, including style, choreography, decorations, visuals, direction, sound, and production at the Eurovision Song Contest. The Estonian delegation will include a director appointed by ERR, responsible for the song's stage performance and technical solutions.

10.1.5 ERR's right to decide on issues related to the production of recordings as required by Eurovision rules.

10.1.6 The obligation of the song's author(s), performer(s), and phonogram producer to grant ERR a license (with sublicensing rights) for the use of the song, its performances, and recordings for the purposes, methods, and deadlines set out in the Eurovision Song Contest rules, as well as for producing and using the song on a single or album and in a documentary film about the Eurovision Song Contest.

10.1.7 ERR and the song's author(s), performer(s), phonogram producer, producer, and others are obliged to cooperate mutually to fulfill the conditions of participation in the Eurovision Song Contest and achieve the best possible results.

10.1.8 The performer(s) are obliged to give interviews and participate in Eurovision-related events, press conferences, and shows organized by ERR or EBU until the end of the Eurovision Song Contest, including during the preparation process.

10.1.9 The song's author(s), performer(s), and phonogram producer must strictly observe all deadlines set by ERR and EBU.

10.1.10 ERR's financial contribution to the stage performance of the winning song is €3,000 (three thousand euros), plus VAT. In addition, ERR will contribute to the project by involving a director.

10.1.11 The persons referred to in 10.1.1 are obliged, during the Eurovision Song Contest (including the preparation process), to comply with the EBU Code of Conduct, refraining from any actions that may harm the reputation of the Eurovision Song Contest, EBU and/or the organizing broadcaster, or the reputation of other participating broadcasters and delegations. The Code of Conduct aims to ensure a fair, respectful, and safe competition environment, protect the contest's reputation, and support smooth organization. Compliance is mandatory for all members of the Estonian delegation.

10.1.12 The persons referred to in 10.1.1 are obliged, at the Eurovision Song Contest venue and related event/recording locations, to comply with regulations established by the organizer to ensure the safety and health of participants.

10.1.13 The performer(s) are obliged to sign the Eurovision Song Contest (ESC) Live Tour agreement with EBU without amendments or additional conditions and submit the signed agreement to ERR by the specified deadline. The ESC Live Tour agreement defines the performers' obligation to participate in events held during the ESC Live Tour, including concerts, recordings, promotional events, and other activities organized by EBU or its authorized partners. Under the agreement, EBU or its authorized partners may record the performers' performances and use them for commercial and non-commercial purposes according to the terms of the agreement.

10.2 Fulfillment of the obligations described in Section 10.1 by the song's author(s), performer(s), and phonogram producer is a prerequisite for participation in the Eurovision Song Contest. ERR has the right to assess the level of cooperation and, if necessary, set additional requirements to ensure the proper participation of the Estonian delegation. Failure to fulfill these obligations may result in the application of contractual penalties under the agreement referred to in Section 8.1, cancellation of accreditation, and/or disqualification from the Eurovision Song Contest.

11. Conditions for Processing Personal Data

11.1 ERR collects and processes personal data of individual authors, performers, and phonogram producers, including name, date of birth, personal identification code, image and voice, bank details, personal data provided in the short biography referred to in Section 4.2.3, and any data disclosed by the data subject to ERR during the contest.

11.2 Processing of personal data is necessary for participation of the song in the contest, for participation of the winning song in the Eurovision Song Contest, and for fulfilling the agreements concluded with the contest participants. The purpose of processing personal data also includes ensuring lawful use of authors' works, performers' performances, and phonograms, and full protection of their rights under copyright law.

11.3 The data controller is ERR, located at F. R. Kreutzwaldi 14, Tallinn, tel. +372 628 4100, email: err@err.ee.

11.4 Among the collected personal data, ERR may make public the person's name, image, and voice, as well as data from the short biography and any information disclosed to ERR by the data subject during the contest.

11.5 Personal data may be transferred to third parties if necessary for the use of the works and performances and/or protection of authors' and performers' rights, for payment of fees referred to in Section 9, or if such a right or obligation arises from law.

11.6 Data subjects have the right to access personal data held by ERR about them, request correction of incorrect personal data, and prohibit further processing, except where processing is allowed without the data subject's consent (e.g., for journalistic purposes or artistic expression).

12. Liability

12.1 ERR has the right to claim a contractual penalty of €1,000 (one thousand euros) for each breach of deadlines set forth in the regulations and its annexes, and to claim compensation for damages exceeding the contractual penalty (e.g., overtime compensation for technical staff).

12.2 ERR has the right to exclude a song from the final if Section 2.1.4 of the regulations is violated.

12.3 ERR has the right to exclude a song from the competition and/or withhold the winning title if any author, performer, phonogram producer, or their representative significantly violates these regulations, fails to sign the agreement referred to in Section 8.1 by the deadline, or breaches the said agreement.

13. Final Provisions

13.1 The contest is considered announced on 19 September 2025, and the contest rules and conditions will be published on ERR's website.

13.2 The Eurovision Song Contest Code of Conduct is available online at https://eurovision.tv/about/rules/. The "Rules of the 70th Eurovision Song Contest" applicable to contest participants, and the draft agreement to be concluded with authors, performers, and phonogram producers, can be consulted by the concerned persons at ERR's premises.

13.3 ERR reserves the right to make amendments to the regulations. Any changes will be published on ERR's website.

13.4 The schedule of events related to participation in the contest is provided in Annex 1 of the regulations.