ELO Conference Series

Berlin Conference
Twinning with Germany – Lithuania – Poland – Slovenia
The ELO twinning conference in Germany took place in Berlin, on the Pariser Platz, next to the historic
Brandenburg Gate in the European Commission’s rooms. The guests of the German
Arbeitsgemeinschaft der Grundbesitzerverbände were the representatives of the Forest owners
Association of Lithuanian - Mr. Algis GAIZUTIS, the Polish Landowners’ Organisation - Maciej
RUDZINSKI and the Slovenian Association of Forest Owners and Claimants to Hunting Rights –Mrs.
Inka STRITAR.

The welcome speech was made by Dr. Gerhard SABATHIL, head of the European Commission’s
representation in Germany. He pointed out the importance and the positive side of the initiative for the
twinning conference. He also added that the enlargement is not over by May 1, 2004 because every
single policy must be put well in place and among them those concerning private initiatives.

In his introduction the president of the German Landowners’ Organisation and vice-president of the
ELO, Michael Prinz zu SALM-SALM welcomed the guests from the new EU member states and the
German conference participants. He added in his speech, that “the relevance of landownership for the
welfare of a community as the propulsion of wealth and employment is what we want to line out and
introduce you to during the course of the conference”.

The German speakers to the conference focused on issues, like German situation of land privatisation
(restitution and compensation) presented by Dr. Wilhelm MULLER, General Secretary of the German
Organisation for Land Privatisation, showing how complex is the situation with the restitution and
compensation. The side of the German owners seeking to get back their properties was represented
by Mr. Albrecht WENDENBURG, president of the organisation of expropriated former owners, who
give his opinion on the restitution process in Germany.
Another issue was the situation of farmers in Germany, especially in the new Landers, presented by
Mr. Anton BLOTH, explaining how sceptic is the German farmer feeling about the CAP reform and the
enlargement, and how important is today, to explain to the farmers the real challenges and
opportunities of these changes.
The issue of private forest ownership in Germany was treated by Dr. Ute SEELING, General Secretary
of the German Forest Owners Association, giving to the participants a statistic picture of the forestry in
Germany and its trends for future development.
A legal approach to the private property in Germany was given by Dr. Jurgen HARTMANN, Chief
Executive Legal Affaires of the German Landowners’ Organisation, tracing the property rights from the
Ancient Times till the actual EU Constitutional Treaty.
The Chief Executive European Affaires of the German Landowners’ Organisation, Mr. Friedrich von
ABENDROTH, presented to the audience the situation of Natura 2000 network implementation in
Europe and in Germany. Among others he expressed the regret that the landowners living and working
on the Natura 2000 designated areas are not invited for assessment meetings but only environmental
ONGs.

The presentation made by the guests from the new member states were very instructive bring to the
audience different realities from their countries. The issue of the confiscated land restitution and the
land utilisation rights are still one of the most sensitive in the Central and Eastern Europe.
Mrs. Inka STRITAR explained the situation with the forestry and hunting rights in Slovenia.
Confiscated properties during the communist regimes, were given back in the range of 80% after the
independence. As for the large landowners, the restitution is still pending. But there were no restitution
of the hunting rights in Slovenia, which were lost in 1945. The Association represented by Mr.
STRITAR is fighting for getting back the right for hunting linked to the right for ownership and to share
the profits from the hunting activities held on the private land and not being forgotten at all by the state
authorities. Now the gains are collected by the state and only damages are left for the landowners.
The reality of the Polish landowners and the restitution process was brought by Mr. Maciej
RUDZINSKI. His association fights for the restitution of still some 1 million ha of agriculture land (about
4 million belongs to the state administration) and 1,7 million ha of forest (about 7 million ha belong to
the state administration, 83% of all forest in Poland, and about 2 thousand manors, palaces, castles…
Poland is the only country in the EU with such a disastrous score for the respect of property rights.

The Lithuanian participant, Mr. Algis GAIZUTIS focused his presentation on the private ownership in
Lithuania, explaining that the land restitution process is not over and only some 70% of land is given
back. At the same time he tried show the positive trends of the Lithuanian forestry development and
the opportunities of investment in that domain.

Concluding the meeting the participants agreed in further development of their relations and mutual
support. Invitations to visit Lithuania, Poland and Slovenia were made to the German participants to
continue with the launched cooperation. The participants also had a common view on the need
common actions of lobbying through the ELO on the European and nation levels.

Dorin PEREU
ELO Enlargement Advisor