Emphyteusis
{{Short description|Concept in real estate law}}
{{more citations needed|date=August 2018}}
{{Lang|grc-latn|Emphyteusis}} (Greek, 'implanting') or emphyteutic lease is a contract for land that allows the holder the right to the enjoyment of a property, often in perpetuity, on condition of proper care, payment of tax and rent. This type of real estate contract specifying that the lessee must improve the property for the nation or for its population e.g. through construction or a railway service or by farming the land to create produce, as happened in Mauritius where people were starving. The term is commonly used in Quebec, Belgium and France and its ex colonies. These sorts of leases are usually associated with government lands or government properties.
History
{{Lang|grc-latn|Emphyteusis}} originated in Ancient Greece.{{Citation needed|date=August 2020}} In the early Roman Empire, it was initially granted by the state for the purposes of agriculture or development. In essence, it was a long-term lease of an imperial domain for a rental in kind. The title existing before {{Lang|grc-latn|emphyteusis}} was {{Lang|la|ius in agro vectigali}}. The {{Lang|grc-latn|emphyteusis}} gave the lease-holder ({{Lang|grc-latn|emphyteuta}}) rights similar to those of a proprietor, although the real owner remained the person to whom the rent (canon or {{Lang|la|pensio}}) was paid. The tenant gained most of the rights of the owner. Accordingly, he could maintain {{Lang|la|actio vectigalis in rem}} against any one to recover possession of the land thus leased.{{Cite book|title=Institutes of Roman Law by Gaius|last=Poste|first=Edward|publisher=Clarendon Press|year=1904|pages=430}} Under certain circumstances, the land returned to the owner, as in the case of the death of the {{Lang|grc-latn|emphyteuta}} intestate, non-payment of the rent or taxes for three years (or two years in case of land held of the Church), lapse of time if a term was fixed in the original agreement, {{Lang|la|contractus emphyteuseos}}, which was a specific contract and neither an ordinary lease nor a sale. The rights of the {{Lang|grc-latn|emphyteuta}} embraced the full use of the land and its products and were alienable and transferable by testament or {{Lang|la|ab intestato}}.{{Cite book|title=Encyclopedic Dictionary of Roman Law|last=Berger|first=Adolf|publisher=French University|year=1953|pages=452}}
{{Lang|grc-latn|Emphyteusis}} is still in use in countries such as Sri Lanka,{{Cite web |date=1987-01-16 |title=Alfred Fernando v. Julian Fernando |url=http://repository.ou.ac.lk/bitstream/handle/94ousl/980/Alfred%20Fernando%20V.%20Julian%20Fernando.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211128141828/http://repository.ou.ac.lk/bitstream/handle/94ousl/980/Alfred%20Fernando%20V.%20Julian%20Fernando.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y |archive-date=2021-11-28 |access-date=2022-09-18 |website=repository.ou.ac.lk |publisher=Sri Lanka Law Reports}} Germany, Belgium, Canada,{{cite web|first1=Canada Revenue|last1=Agency|access-date=2019-06-09|title=Emphyteutic Leases|url=https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/forms-publications/publications/p-174/emphyteutic-leases.html|date=22 June 2017|website=aem}} Portugal,{{Cite web |url=https://www.eui.eu/documents/departmentscentres/law/researchteaching/researchthemes/europeanprivatelaw/realpropertyproject/Portugal.pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=2019-04-05 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150824005731/http://www.eui.eu/Documents/DepartmentsCentres/Law/ResearchTeaching/ResearchThemes/EuropeanPrivateLaw/RealPropertyProject/Portugal.PDF |archive-date=2015-08-24 |url-status=dead }} France,{{cite web|url=https://www.eui.eu/Documents/DepartmentsCentres/Law/ResearchTeaching/ResearchThemes/EuropeanPrivateLaw/RealPropertyProject/France.PDF|title=REAL PROPERTY LAW PROJECT FRANCE |first=Stéphane |last=Glock}} Italy,{{cite web |title=Leasehold or Emphyteusis in Italy: What You Should Know |date=17 March 2017 |url=https://detulliolawfirm.com/leasehold-or-emphyteusis/}} the Netherlands,{{cite web | url=https://www.amsterdam.nl/en/housing/ground-lease/ | title=Ground lease (Erfpacht) }} Malta and Catalonia{{cite web |title=emfiteusi |url=https://www.enciclopedia.cat/gran-enciclopedia-catalana/emfiteusi |website=enciclopèdia.cat |access-date=29 September 2023}} and, until relatively recently, in Scotland.{{cite web|title=REVOLUTION IN SCOTTISH LAND LAW |first=Andrew J M |last=Steven |url=https://www.ejcl.org/83/art83-5.PDF}} Rwanda adopted an emphyteutic leasing system in 2013, offering 99-year leases for agricultural land to its citizens, and 20-year leases for residential land.{{Cite web |date=2016 |title=Food Security and Land Governance Factsheet - Rwanda |url=https://www.landgovernance.org/assets/20160627-Factsheet-Rwanda.pdf |website=LANDac}}
See also
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20060520031713/http://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/rpm-gbi/lexicon-lexique/term-terme.asp?Language=EN&id=809 Treasury board of Canada Real Property Lexicon]
Category:Civil law (legal system)
Category:Real estate in France
Category:Property law legal terminology
Category:Real estate in Canada
Category:Real estate in Rwanda
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