Andorran Landowners Urge Tighter Foreign Real Estate Curbs and Urban Planning Reforms

Landowners grouped under the Associació de Propietaris de Terres d'Andorra (APTA) have urged tighter restrictions on foreign investment, particularly in real estate, while pushing for reforms to enhance legal security and coordinate urban planning across parishes.

APTA president Josep Duró, who has led the group for 10 years, called for increasing the 3-6% tax on foreign property deals or mandating some Andorran involvement in such projects. Drawing on practices in Switzerland and Monaco, he described this as a "toll right" to steer funds toward job-creating sectors rather than real estate, which he said hinders local businesses and residents. "We're not saying to push them out, but to better control where they can help the economy and create jobs we need," Duró stated at a press conference. He highlighted rising purchases by foreign individuals and companies as a key concern.

The association also seeks changes to the Land Law and the General Law on Land Use Planning and Urbanism (LGOTU) to balance Constitutional Article 27 (property rights) against Article 33 (right to housing). An APTA-commissioned report by a European constitutional expert warns that current tensions foster legal uncertainty and arbitrariness, prompting long-term owners to sell. Duró praised the parliamentary commission's unanimous report on Land Law reforms as positive progress, despite some disagreements, and stressed the need for compensation—beyond mere payments—when urban policies impact properties.

To address parish-level disparities, APTA proposes a national technical-political body integrating government and communes, with expertise in environment, infrastructure, tourism, and economics for a long-term view. Secretary Jordi Cerqueda noted the commission's support for this but called for clearer definitions to avoid a purely political entity. He criticized the current setup as producing "seven different state visions," citing examples like 12-story buildings allowed in one parish but banned nearby, and backed expanding the Technical Urbanism Commission (CTU) with political input.

Duró voiced strong support for Ordino landowners challenging the parish's POUP in court after the CTU rejected their appeals. He accused the commune of failing to build consensus and the CTU of introducing political judgments into technical assessments, creating unbuildable parcels and legal insecurity. "Once the action is before the Batllia, political dialogue is over," he said, adding that cases could escalate to the Superior Court or Constitutional Court if needed.

These demands will feature at APTA's annual general meeting Thursday at La Llacuna, starting at 7:45pm with a public session, where Duró will step down as president.