Parliamentary Secretary of the Latvian Ministry of Agriculture Edvards Smiltēns and Parliamentary State Secretary Gyula Budai held talks in Budapest this week at the Ministry of Rural Development. The aim of Monday's talks was to enable the Hungarian party to present details on the concept and system of instruments of the proposed new Act on the trade of agricultural and forestry land to Latvian experts.

At the meeting, the parties also reviewed the land trade regulations of several European Union member states, and the Community's requirements. Both he Hungarian and Latvian ministries are striving to develop new land regulations that will be as favourable as possible to their countries, in preparation for the lifting of the ban on land purchasing by foreign entities on 1 May 2014. Gyula Budai told his colleague that the regulation of land ownership is an area of primary importance for the Hungarian Government, as farmland is one of Hungary's national treasures and is only available in limited quantities.

Hungarian experts have developed a complex system of instruments for regulating land ownership, while taking into account the views and opinions of the sector. While keeping in line with estate policy and rural development strategies, the new legislation is designed to facilitate the acquisition of land by small and medium-sized family-run farms, and especially by locally resident agricultural operators who are prepared and able to utilise farmland. In this way, the Government is also helping to preserve the population retention, income-creating and employment capabilities of rural areas.

In view of the fact that both countries are in a similar situation, both parties found the discussion extremely useful. Consultation on the details relating to the new land purchase regulations will continue in Riga in January 2013.

(Press Office of the Ministry of Rural Development)