CADASTRAL AND REAL ESTATE REFORM AND THE INTEGRATION OF EUROPEAN STANDARDS - THE EXPERIENCE OF THE REPUBLIC OF MOLDOVA IN RELATION TO THE MODELS OF ROMANIA AND THE NETHERLANDS

Abstract

The Republic of Moldova regards European integration as a strategic pillar of development, with the cadastral-real estate sector playing a key role in strengthening legal security, administrative transparency, and territorial governance. Between 2023–2025, major reforms were implemented: the establishment of the Public Institution “Real Estate Cadastre,” the digitalization of registers, the introduction of the Real Estate Price Register, and the modernization of the normative framework (Civil Code, Land Code, Cadastre Law, Condominium Law). These measures mark the transition toward a European model of efficient and transparent property administration. A comparative analysis with Romania and the Netherlands highlights convergences such as the cost-recovery principle, the digital integration of land and cadastre registers, and the interoperability of geospatial systems (eTerra, MyEterra, PDOK), while also revealing differences in institutional maturity, financial autonomy, and full digitalization of processes, which are more advanced in Western Europe. The research is based on comparative legal analysis and is supported by international benchmarks and policy frameworks developed by United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), and United Nations (UN) reflecting contemporary approaches to digital governance and sustainable land administration.