asked the Minister for External Affairs if he will indicate the present legal situation in respect of land purchase by non-nationals in the member states of the EEC, Denmark, Norway and the United Kingdom; and if he will give details of the various conditions and restrictions applicable to such purchase.
Ceisteanna-Questions. Oral Answers. - Land Purchase by Non-Nationals.
15.
As the reply is in the form of a factual statement, I propose with the permission of the Ceann Comhairle to circulate it with the Official Report.
Following is the statement: The information available to us from the authorities of the countries concerned is as follows:
Belgium
There are no restrictions on the purchase of land by non-nationals in Belgium but non-nationals who wish to engage in the business of farming must obtain a work permit. The law which imposes this requirement is a general one applying to numerous self-employed activities.
France
Non-nationals are free to purchase land in France subject to exchange control regulations which apply equally to nationals resident outside France. Where a non-national who has purchased land wishes to establish himself as a farmer he must request authorisation to do so from the competent authorities. A non-national who is able to satisfy the authorities that he has been resident in France on an uninterrupted basis for at least three years and who was less than thirty-five years of age on entering the country, may apply for a "privileged residence card". After ten years residence with the status of privileged resident, a non-national is entitled to receive permission to exercise his profession throughout France.
Federal Republic of Germany
The Federal authorities apply no restrictions or conditions which discriminate against non-nationals in the field of land purchase. In the Laender of Baden-Wuertemburg, Bavaria, Berlin, Lower Saxony, the Rhine Palatinate and Schleswig-Holstein, non-national "juridical persons", i.e. foreign companies or firms, require permission in certain circumstances, but "natural foreign persons", i.e. private non-national individuals, do not require permission to purchase land.
Italy
There are no restrictions on the purchase of land by non-nationals in Italy and no conditions discriminating against non-nationals are imposed on such purchases.
Netherlands
There are no restrictions on the purchase of land by non-nationals in the Netherlands and no conditions discriminating against non-nationals are imposed on such purchases.
Luxembourg
Non-nationals are free to purchase land in Luxembourg but those wishing to engage in horticulture require a permit.
Denmark
Persons, without discrimination as to nationality who do not reside in Denmark or have not previously resided there for a period of at least five years in all, may acquire title to real property in that country only with the permission of the Minister for Justice.
Norway
Access to ownership of land is governed by permits granted by the Minister for Agriculture in four categories of land. In the case of forest land, arable land and mountainous land a permit is required by nationals and non-nationals alike. In the case of moorland only non-nationals require a permit.
United Kingdom
There are no restrictions on the purchase of land by non-nationals in the UK and no conditions discriminating against non-nationals are imposed in such purchases.