Let us remind the reader that the mission of the European Property Institute, created a few years ago as a consulting think-tank, is to develop an all-European forum for exchanging contacts and experiences relating to operations and servicing of general property sector and financial markets. This end cannot be achieved without financial vehicles obtained from business operations, which is unfortunately typical for the majority of Polish foundations. In the previous years we successfully offered investment consulting, local property market analyses, among others analyses, like ownership structure, market characteristics and investment opportunities. This year, as a result of savings made by private businesses and municipalities, this branch of our operations was considerably limited.

Regardless, we still managed to further our mission in other fields. In conjunction with the Ministry of Infrastructure and under its auspices, we held a conference on introducing the law on the right to develop someone else’s land as part of a new property law, which – according to the best international practice – can be enacted not only by public entities, but also any owners and perpetual usufructors. Also in conjunction with the International Property Tax Institute based in Toronto, and with the Institute of Revenues Rating and Valuation based in London we held a conference on the impact of added value on development of cities and the role of ad valorem tax in the local financing processes. We hosted speakers and attendees from Europe, the United States, Canada and Asia.

We also continued our publishing efforts, producing two publications – one being a post-conference paper entitled Reforming the ground lease – the right to develop someone else’s land. Directions of change. It included conference papers and notes of a very lively discussion. The other publication was a result of a contest held under the auspices of the Ministry of Treasury and was entitled – Ownership means responsibility – knowledge, practice, experience. The authors invited to this project – philosophers, religious scholars, economists, lawyers and political scientists – described the issue at hand comprehensively, accounting for religious, philosophical, moral, ethic, social, legal, economic aspects, based off the European experiences, pointing out the context of the Polish transition process in particular.

All in all, it was undoubtedly a difficult year for the European Property Institute as a non-governmental organization, but also one full of interesting and prospective projects.

Bogdan Rogatko
Vice-President of the European Property Institute
Source: Property Jornal Polska Giełda Nieruchomości 12-01/10