EU citizens would wait up to 7 years to buy land under EC proposal

The European Commission (EC) proposed on Friday a transition period of five to seven years before European Union citizens are permitted to buy land in Poland, while the Polish government earlier asked for an 18-year transition period. Under the EC proposal, which has yet to gain the approval of all EU member countries, foreigners wanting to buy farm or forest land in Poland would have to wait for seven years from the date of the country's EU accession, while those wanting to buy a second home in Poland would have to wait five years. However, the EU believes there should be exceptions; farmers wanting to move to Poland and farm here, as well as EU citizens who decide to move to Poland for good, should have the right to buy property immediately after Poland's accession. Ewa Haczyk, spokeswoman for Poland's chief EU accession negotiator Jan Kulakowski, refused to comment on the proposals, saying they do not represent the official EU stance. (Gazeta Wyborcza, May 5-6, p.27) T.J.