Рrotection of the interests of the owners of land shares is being improved іn Ukraine

The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine adopted in the second reading and in general the draft law "On amendments to some legislative acts of Ukraine regarding the protection of the interests of owners of land shares (units), as well as the application of administrative procedures in the field of land relations." According to official reports, the adopted version of the document includes, in particular, the following provisions: extension (from 2025 to 2028) of the registration period for unclaimed land plots, distribution of land plots between owners of shares and their heirs of lands remaining in collective ownership after the distribution of land plots.

In addition, it is envisaged to restore the mandatory training of certified land management engineers and to extend until 2026 the pilot project of entering information into the State Land Cadastre by certified land management engineers. In addition, a rule will be established according to which the term of validity of lease contracts for land plots formed from unclaimed (undistributed) land plots that have passed into communal ownership will be terminated 2 years from the date of state registration of communal property rights to them. In addition, the draft proposes to foresee the peculiarities of the administrative procedure in the field of land relations.

We would like to remind that from January 1, 2024, the second stage of land reform began in Ukraine. It provides, in particular, an increase in the maximum size of the plot for purchase from 100 ha to 10,000 ha. In addition, now not only individuals, but also legal entities will be able to buy land. At the same time, the requirement that only citizens of Ukraine can purchase land has been preserved.

Earlier, at the end of 2023, a petition of the All-Ukrainian Agrarian Council was registered to postpone until the end of the war the increase of the maximum area of agricultural land "in the same hands" from 100 hectares to 10,000 hectares. The specified petition gathered the necessary 25,000 signatures for its consideration by the President of Ukraine, who instructed the head of government to consider this issue. But so far, no decisions of the CMU on this issue have been reported.

We will also remind you that the land reform includes the third stage, which provides for the opening of the market for foreign individuals and legal entities. But the decision on this must be approved at the all-Ukrainian referendum, which cannot be held under martial law.