Amendment of the Methodological Norms to Law 17/2014 regarding sale of agricultural extra-murros land
Daniel Vlasceanu – Partner, Vlasceanu & Partners
RO
19 Februarie 2021
Modificarea normelor metodologice („Normele Metodologice”) pentru aplicarea Titlului I din Legea nr. 17/2014 („Legea 17/2014”) privind unele masuri de reglementare a vanzarii-cumpararii terenurilor agricole extravilane
Cea mai recenta modificare a Normelor Metodologice a avut loc prin Ordinul 311/2020 („Ordinul 311/2020”) care a intrat in vigoare in 8 Februarie 2021 (i.e. data publicarii in Monitorul Oficial).
1. Conditii de vanzare a terenurilor agricole
In concordanta cu modificarile aduse Legii 17/2014 in toamna anului trecut prin Legea nr 175/2020, Normele Metodologice modifica/ detaliaza atributiile autoritatilor publice in procedura de vanzare a terenurilor agricole (e.g. este specificat parcursul documentatiilor, sunt stabilite termene fixe de raspuns pe fiecare etapa – Art. 3-5 si 8-10 din Normele Metodologice). De natura a clarifica procesul este si reglementarea formularelor care vor fi utilizate in aceasta procedura (care au fost actualizate/ suplimentate prin Anexele la Normele Metodologice).
Odata cu extinderea substantiala a categoriilor de preemptori ca urmare a modificarilor aduse Legii 17/2014 din toamna anului 2020, a devenit necesara specificarea documentelor pe care fiecare categorie de preemptori trebuie sa le depuna in vederea exercitarii drepturilor sale. Aceasta specificare este introdusa in Art. 6 din Normele Metodologice [e.g. situatia tinerilor fermieri in calitate de preemptori este clarificata prin alineatele (9) si (10) ale Art. 6 din Normele Metodologice].
Avand in vedere faptul ca a fost introdusa, prin Art. 41 din Legea 17/2014, o categorie intermediara intre preemptori si cumparatorii alesi liber de catre vanzator, respectiv categoria potentialilor cumparatori („Potentialii cumparatori”), Normele Metodologice prevad (in Art. 8) inscrisurile pe care acestia trebuie sa le prezinte (ca dovada a indeplinirii conditiilor prevazute de Art. 41 din Legea 17/2014).
Se aduce o clarificare utila cu privire la modalitatea de alegere intre preemptorii cu acelasi rang (respectiv intre Potentialii cumparatori): vanzatorul este cel care are dreptul (suveran) de a alege intre ofertele de cumparare transmise de preemptori „egali” (de catre Potentialii cumparatori) [i.e. Art. 9 alineatele (1) si (2)].
2. Avizele Ministerului Apararii Naţionale si al Ministerului Culturii
Legea nr 17/2014 prevede necesitatea obtinerii:
- Avizului Ministerului Apararii Nationale, in cazul vanzarii terenurilor situate la mai putin de 30 km de frontiera/ tarmul Marii Negre sau intr-o raza de 2.400 m de obiective speciale; si a
- Avizului Ministerului Culturii in cazul vanzarii terenurilor pe care s-au evidentiat situri arheologice.
Din experienta noastra, avizul Ministerului Apararii se obtine foarte rapid.
Pentru a evita intarzieri insa, Legea nr 17/2014 si Normele Metodologice prevad ca daca avizul nu se emite in 20 de zile lucratoare, respectivul aviz se considera favorabil, Normele adaugand ca se poate incheia contractul de vanzare-cumparare prin prezentarea dovezii inregistrarii cererii de emitere a avizului respectiv [Art. 12 alin. (1) lit. a) si b)].
3. Obligatia de a utiliza terenurile agricole exclusiv pentru activitati agricole
Aceasta este una din marile dileme nascute ca urmare a modificarilor aduse de Legea nr 175/2020 (respectiv Art 42 al 5) datorita impactului asupra sectoarelor economice (energie, telecomunicatii etc), majoritatea de importanta strategica, care implica intrinsec folosirea de suprafete mari de teren agricol (industria energetica, telecomunicatiile etc). Din pacate, Normele Metodologice nu aduc clarificari (si nici mult asteptata exceptare pentru anumite tipuri de investii) cu privire la aceasta obligatie. Totusi, este in afara oricarui dubiu ca o interpretare in sensul imposibilitatii utilizarii terenurilor agricole pentru alte activitati decat agricultura este contrara logicii, iar textul mai sus mentionat trebuie sa fie modificat.
Pentru mai multe detalii va rugam sa ne contactati:
Daniel Vlasceanu
Partener
+4 0728 182 566
daniel.vlasceanu@vpartners.ro
Acest newsletter a fost pregatit exclusiv in scop de informare generala si nu se va interpreta ca si consultanta juridica. In masura in care considerati util sa aflati mai multe despre aspectele ce fac obiectul acestui newsletter, va rugam sa ne contactati.
EN
19 February 2021
The amendment of the methodological norms (the „Methodological Norms”) for the application of Title I of the Law 17/2014 concerning the sale-purchase of agricultural land located outside buildable areas („Law 17/2014”)
The latest amendment of the Methodological Norms followed the entry into force of Order 311/2020 (the “Order 311/2020”) upon 8 February 2021 (i.e. its publishing date in the Official Gazette).
1. The conditions for sale of agricultural land
In accordance with the amendments brought by the Law 17/2014 under Law no 175/2020 of last year’s autumn, the Methodological Norms amend/ detail the attributions of the public authorities involved in the procedure of sale of agricultural land (e.g. the course of the documentations is clearly specified, the response time of the authorities is provided for each step, as per Art. 3-5 si 8-10 of the Methodological norms). Also, it is helpful that the standard forms - to be used under the procedure – have been updated/ supplemented under the Annexes to the Methodological Norms.
Given the substantial broadening of the pre-emptors’ categories brought by the last year’s autumn amendment of the Law 17/2014, it was necessary to detail which documents are necessary to be exhibited by each category of pre-emptors in order to exercise their pre-emption right. Such detailing was introduced under Art. 6 of the Methodological Norms [e.g. the situation of the young farmer pre-emptors is clarified under paras (9) and (10) of Art. 6 of the Methodological Norms].
Along the same line, considering that (by Art. 41 of Law 17/2014), a new (intermediary) category was introduced between the pre-emptors and the seller’s freely chosen buyers, i.e. namely the potential buyers (“Potential buyers”), the Methodological Norms specify (under Art. 8) the documents they must exhibit (in order to fulfil the conditions imposed under Art. 41 of Law 17/2014).
An useful clarification is brought regarding the selection between multiple pre-emptors of the same rank (or between Potential buyers): the seller is given the right to freely choose between the purchase offers submitted by such “equal” pre-emptors (or by the Potential buyers) [as per Art. 9 para (1) and (2)].
2. Approvals of the Ministry of National Defence/ Ministry of Culture
Law 17/2014 imposes to obtain:
- The approval of the Ministry of National Defence, if the sale concerns a plot of land located within 30 km from the state border/ from the Black Sea shore or within 2,400 m from special objectives; and
- The approval of the Ministry of Culture if the sale concerns a plot of land encompassing an archaeological site.
From our experience, the approval of the Ministry of Defence is regularly obtained very fast.
In order to avoid delays, both the Law 17/2014 and the Methodological Norms set forth that if the approval is not issued within 20 working days, the respective approval is considered favourably issued; the Norms also specify that the sale-purchase agreement may be concluded based on the proof of the registration of the application [Art. 12 para (1) letters. a) and b)].
3. The obligation to use agricultural land exclusively for agricultural activities
This is one of the big dilemmas introduced by the amendments under Law 175/2020 (to Art. 42 para 5); this obligation is highly relevant due to its impact on economic (energy, telecom etc) sectors, most of them of strategic importance, that involve large surfaces of agricultural land. Unfortunately, the Methodological Norms do not bring any clarification (nor the long awaited exemption for specific investments) in this respect. However, it is beyond doubt that an interpretation favouring the use of agricultural land only for agriculture is not acceptable and the above referred to legal text must be amended.
For further details, please contact:
Daniel Vlasceanu
Partner
+4 0728 182 566
daniel.vlasceanu@vpartners.ro
This newsletter was prepared solely for general information purposes and shall not be construed in any way as legal advice. Should you find it useful and want to know more about the issues presented herein, please do not hesitate to contact us.
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