The Value of the UN/ECE “Land Administration Guidelines” and some considerations for its Upgrading Dr Chryssy A Potsiou National Technical University of Athens

Land Administration “the processes of recording and disseminating information about the ownership, value and use of land and its associated resources” 1993 Countries in transition-implementation socialist command style to market economy Western European countries-cadastral reform digitization user needs cost-recovery policies UN/ECE Workshops, Task Force Guidelines

LA Guidelines contain : basic theoretical issues legal issues financial matters land use planning institutional arrangements technical matters procedures for introducing a LA system useful recommendations

The benefits of the LA Guidelines simple, easily understandable, not technical short but also very comprehensive text covers all main different matters They have served as a useful and wise tool both for the countries in transition and for those who need to develop their own LA systems

Why to revise the LA Guidelines? Identification of the Need New problems have to be faced: lack of access to capital and credit property investment is still perceived as high risk weak or inconsistent valuation system no rural land market activity

General reasons Experience gained through the ongoing LA projects Close cooperation between UN/ECE WPLA, FIG, Eurogeographics, INSPIRE,… UN/ECE WPLA workshops Information technology satellite communications WAP technology, Internet Spatial Information Management NSDI’s Use of GPS digital photogrammetry & orthophotos in establishing cadastral maps 3D Cadastre

General reasons New legal issues remain to be solved: e-commerce, e-services, and copyright protection against digital violation of intellectual property rights Cadastre as a tool for good LA, social stability, economic development Wide spread of the free market and the development of pan-European and international markets Increasing role of the private sector, balance Need for more cost-recovery approaches, data and services pricing policies, free labour mobility within Europe Need for education and capacity building Combined European regional approach, harmonization of information, NMA’s New approaches in mass valuation and land taxation

What Revisions? Some Proposals For a land market to work efficiently it is necessary: a land registration system security of property rights, simple and inexpensive transfer of property rights confidence to be provided to investors through clear, transparent and consistent land policies regulations, taxes land use land value a financing mechanism meaning availability of capital and credit In most cases deficiencies in LA arrangements are due to institutional (including management) rather than technical problems

Five most threatening factors against the success of the implementation of a LA system Lack of adequate and stable land policy Lack of clear objectives for the project Time required Lack of a cost-benefit analysis Lack of special knowledge education and capacity building

Land Policy Informal settlements Monitoring of land uses and physical planning Protection of coastline Protection of forest land Protection of archaeological sites Balance between restrictions on the land and sustainable land market development Coordination of relevant public agencies

Clear Objectives Criteria & Priorities Multi-purpose Privatized - at what level Cost recovery policy – business approach Development of the Land Market User needs What do we have – what is missing  Mixing up political and technical criteria at every step of the project  Mixing up old socialist command style economy policies with the demands of the modern market economy Is frequently creating confusion and contradiction Unfair for every participant involved

Time required Lead to a very ambitious work plan and time-consuming process Decrease of public acceptance Difficulty in checking, handling and updating a huge amount of detailed data Difficulty in the continuation of the funding Complexity of work Overemphasized Intangible benefits Enthusiasm

Cost-benefit analysis Calculating the benefits is more difficult than evaluating the costs Cost-sharing arrangements need to be worked out

Education LA is not considered an issue of significant importance The role of the Surveyor as Land Administrator is very limited Education in Surveying and Cadastre focuses on geodesy, mapping, photogrammetry and other technical skills Terms & Definitions Knowledge of legal matters, Land Administration and Management is required There is a need to review the curricula Education and training of the staff, public agencies management and politicians is also necessary Ongoing education – capacity building Each country should create its own experts