Special Edition XXXIII General Assembly: Celebrating 20 years of commitment

On November 6th, the XXXIII ELRA General Assembly and 3rd ELRN Workshop was held in Brussels, celebrating two decades of ELRA’s commitment to legal security and registry collaboration across Europe. This Assembly gathered representatives from member organizations across Europe and was marked by discussions on pivotal registry topics.

The Assembly opened with remarks from ELRA President Mihai Taus, who emphasized the association’s ongoing contributions to legal cooperation. This was followed by an address from Ana Gallego, Director General for Justice and Consumers at the European Commission, underscoring ELRA’s role in strengthening judicial cooperation. Luisa Clode and Jan Moerkerke, ELRA founding members and former presidents, shared their experiences, celebrating this 20-year milestone with a commemorative video honouring ELRA’s history and achievements. In addition, Alicia Giménez, Director of the Secretariat, gave special thanks to her team for their great work, driven by their competence and commitment.

Keynote Presentations

Dr. Sjef van Erp, Professor of Civil Law and European Private Law at Maastricht University, presented “Why is Data Ownership Important for Land Registrars?” His talk delved into the implications of data ownership—often described as ‘data control’ or ‘data access’—for both land registrars and users in the digital age, with a focus on digital succession and the European Succession Certificate.

Paul Prettitore from The World Bank presented “Development Trends in Land Administration in ECA (Europe and Central Asia),” where he outlined emerging trends in land management and the evolving roles of registries across the ECA region, emphasizing innovations that promote legal security and efficient land management.

Panel Discussions

Two main panel discussions addressed critical cross-border legal issues and policy developments:

1. EU Succession Regulation and European Commission Findings – Moderated by Francisco J. Gimeno, ELRA Secretary General, this panel explored the nuances of the EU Succession Regulation with input from key figures, including:
   • Caterina D’Osualdo, DG Justice, European Commission
   • Judge Dr. Marta Rekawek-Pachwicewicz, ELRA representative in the EC Working Group
   • Judge Michele Cuccaro from the Rovereto Court in Italy
   • Jacques Vos, ELRA Board Member and Land Registrar from the Netherlands.
2. Proposal Regulation on Vulnerable Adults in Cross-Border Situations – Moderated by Rafael Vale e Reis, ELRA Partner from the Centro de Estudos Notariais e Registais, this panel brought forward insights on the EU’s proposal, featuring:
   • Lenka Vysoka, DG Justice, European Commission
   • Luisa Clode, former ELRA President and Land Registrar from Funchal, Madeira
   • Mª Dolores Villar Guzmán, Counsellor-Coordinator for Legal Affairs at the Permanent Representation of Spain to the EU.

Closing Ceremony and Future Outlook

The Assembly concluded with a closing address by President Mihai Taus, who highlighted the importance of collaboration and reaffirmed ELRA’s commitment.