An Overview of East Timor Law No 1 of 2003 on the juridical regime of immovable property

2004 ETLJ 6 AN OVERVIEW OF THE PROVISIONS OF EAST TIMOR’S LAW NO 1 OF 2003 ON THE JURIDICAL REGIME ON IMMOVABLE PROPERTIES

Introduction
Law No 01 of 2003 on the Juridical Regime on Immovable Properties was approved by the National Parliament of East Timor on 03 December 2002, promulgated by the President on 24 December 2002 and published on 10 March 2003. It came into force on 11 March 2004 virtue of Article 20 which provides that “[t]he present law enters into force on the following day of its publication.”

It is the first legislation enacted by the National Parliament pertaining to immovable properties.

It deals with the following matters:

1. the definitions of immovable property, private domain immovable property, public domain immovable property, and the State’s private immovable property;
2. illegal appropriation and illegal occupation of immovable property;
3. administrative eviction from the State’s immovable property;
4. claims to immovable property owned by citizens and foreigners;
5. the administration of abandoned immovable property; and
6. past acts relating to State’s immovable properties.

Full report on East Timor Law Journal