21:21 5 January 2026
Polish government making demands on agricultural real estate that could terminate contracts
In December, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development published a draft law on agricultural land leases aimed at closing long-standing legal gaps and formalizing widespread informal practices. The proposal would end oral lease agreements, requiring written, electronic, or notarized contracts to be valid. Leases would be divided into short-term (up to 8 years) and long-term (over 8 and up to 30 years), with statutory rent payment deadlines and clearer rules on indexation. Landowners would gain inspection rights, while tenants would face stricter obligations and defined grounds for early termination.
Crucially, existing non-compliant leases would remain valid for no more than three years after the law enters into force, after which they would automatically expire. The reform is intended to increase legal certainty and transparency in Poland’s agricultural land market.
