Land Administration in the UNECE Region. Development Trends and Main Principles build on the premise that every country should have a formal system of registration for land and property rights in order to facilitate good governance and to provide secure ownership of land, investments and other private and public interests in real estate. Effective systems for recording landownership, land values and land use are the foundation on which the efficient operation of a market economy depends and underpin the sustainable and productive management of land resources. Such systems reduce the risk to mortgage lenders and hence the interest rates that are charged, facilitating greater efficiency and economic growth. A good land administration system will guarantee ownership and security of tenure; support land and property taxation; provide security for credit; develop and monitor land markets; protect land resources and support environmental monitoring; facilitate the management of State-owned land; reduce land disputes; facilitate rural land reform; improve urban planning and infrastructure development; and provide statistical data in support of good governance. It should be affordable and open to everyone, meeting the needs of all its users, and must be sustainable.

Most UNECE member countries have already computerized their formal land information systems. This has resulted in a broader range of data and documents being handled and moves towards electronic commerce. The key issue is how best to keep land records up to date and of good quality, making full use of the technologies that are available. This may necessitate changes to the organizational structure and financial mechanisms, as well as technical issues. Experiences indicate that issues relating to legislation, organization and funding are frequently more complex to solve than technical matters. The key to good land administration is good management.