October 24, 2007
Pressure on Spanish land-grab law
The European Commission (EC) has threatened Spain with court action unless it changes its land-grab laws by December. The laws left thousands of homeowners in the Valencia area facing the loss of their property with accompanying huge bills.
The law was passed in 1994 in order to ensure community development was not obstructed by individual landowners. Rather, this was used to reclassify land and allow unscrupulous developers to reclaim property and land under a compulsory purchase order.
Around 20,000 compulsory purchase orders were maded since the law was introduced. Many overseas owners lost their homes or were presented with crippling bills for the installation of roads and drainage systems.
The law was amended in December 2005. However, the Commission – petitioned by 15,000 aggrieved property owners – said that it still breaches EU procurement regulations and that citizens’ property rights are not being protected still.
The Commission released a statement saying that Spain has two months to provide a satisfactory response to the Commission’s justifiable concerns. If no response is forthcoming, the Commission, supported by the European Parliament (EP), can take Spaion to the European Court of Justice (ECJ) in order for citizens’ fundamental right to their homes and properties are respected.
Posted on: Spain
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