XXXIV General Assembly

On 29 October, the XXXIV General Assembly of the European Land Registry Association (ELRA) was held in Barcelona, co-organised with Registradors de Catalunya. The meeting brought together representatives from European land registries and institutions to reflect on current challenges in the registry field, with a particular attention to housing policies, technological developments and the legal and ethical dimensions of artificial intelligence.

The session was formally opened by Mihai Taus, ELRA President, and Vicente José García-Hinojal López, Dean President of Registradors de Catalunya, who welcomed the participants and emphasised the importance of cooperation between land registries, public administrations and European bodies to guarantee legal certainty and the protection of citizens’ rights.

Keynote Presentations

The opening address was delivered by Prof. Teresa Rodríguez de las Heras Ballell, President of the European Law Institute (ELI), on “The Role of Soft Law in Digital Regulation: Challenges and Opportunities.” Her presentation  provided an in-depth analysis of flexible regulatory instruments and their potential  to promote innovation while preserving legal trust in digital environments.

Prof. Dr. Sergio Nasarre-Aznar, from the Universitat Rovira i Virgili, offered a comprehensive overview of housing policies in Europe, addressing current trends and highlighting the role that land registries may play in fostering transparency and access to housing.

From the Land Title and Survey Authority of British Columbia (Canada), Al-Karim Kara and Greg Steves presented the Canadian approach to interoperability and public trust in land data, illustrating practical developments and technological tools that reinforce digital registry services.

Panel Discussions

Two thematic panels provided a framework for further debate:

• “Artificial Intelligence: A New Challenge for Legal Professions”, moderated by Jacques Vos (ELRA Board Member), gathered experts from the judiciary, professional associations and registry institutions. Panelists included:
  • José Ramón De Blas, Superior Court of the Valencian Community
  • Walter Szöky, President of EUR
  • Manel Santilari Barnach, Barcelona Bar Association
  • Heidi Leppikus, Centre of Registers and Information Systems, Estonia

• “Housing Crisis in Europe”, moderated by Elena Prada (ELRA Board Member), addressed registry-related aspects of the European housing situation. Contributions were provided by:

• Dulce Calvo González-Vallinas, Registradores de España – Colegio de Registradores
• Manuel Szapiro, Representative of the European Commission in Barcelona

These discussions reaffirmed ELRA’s commitment to fostering dialogue between land registries, academia and European institutions.

Closing Ceremony

The XXXIV General Assembly concluded with official closing remarks delivered by Mihai Taus, Vicente José García-Hinojal López, and Inmaculada Barral, Directora General de Dret, Entitats Jurídiques i Mediació. The ceremony reaffirmed the importance of institutional cooperation as a cornerstone of legal security and the proper functioning of land registry systems in Europe.