Joint Programme

Horizontal Facility

Strengthening co-operation on the right to property, digital transformation and good governance in property administration was the focus of the Regional Roundtable “From Property to Progress: Digital Transformation and EU Integration of the Western Balkans”, which brought together senior representatives from cadastral and property administration institutions across the Western Balkans and neighbouring EU member states in Tirana.

Organised within the framework of the European Union and Council of Europe joint action “Improving the protection of the right to property and facilitating execution of ECtHR judgments in Albania” (D-REX III), and in close partnership with the Albanian State Cadastre Agency, the roundtable served as an open platform for exchanging reform experiences and identifying practical ways to make property services more transparent, efficient and citizen-oriented.

In his opening remarks, H.E. Edi Rama, Prime Minister of the Republic of Albania, underscored the significance of the event, noting the strategic importance of digital transformation in property administration and the valuable role of regional co-operation in advancing this agenda.

Lorena Goxhobelli, Director General of the Albanian State Cadastre Agency highlighted the crucial need for advancing collaboration among all stakeholders to ensure every property is accurately registered and effectively managed.

Giulia Re, Head of the Council of Europe Office in Tirana, underlined that “Ensuring secure and transparent property rights is fundamental to upholding human dignity and the rule of law. Regional co-operation and digital transformation are key in building stronger institutions that serve citizens, foster trust, and support sustainable development”      

Andre Rizzo, Chargé d’Affaires of the Delegation of the European Union to Albania reaffirmed the EU’s commitment to advancing digitalisation and legal harmonisation in the Western Balkans Beneficiaries, ensuring that every citizen enjoys equal property rights.

Senior delegations from Albania, Greece, Kosovo*, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia and Slovenia, engaged in dynamic discussions on key topics such as the modernisation of cadastral systems, digitalisation of services, role of the artificial intelligence, and alignment with European human rights standards in the field.

The roundtable underlined the strategic importance of a shared regional commitment to advancing secure, transparent and digitally enabled property systems for the benefit of all citizens. It reinforced the view that effective property administration is central to legal certainty, economic development, good governance, and the rule of law. 

The activity was organised in the framework of the action “Improving the protection of the right to property and facilitating execution of ECtHR judgments in Albania (D-REX III)”, part of the European Union and the Council of Europe joint programme Horizontal Facility for the Western Balkans and Türkiye.

Contact: Besnik Baka; +355692178430