Saeima sends amendments on land use fees in forced divided ownership to committees
On 15 October the Saeima referred to committees a bill changing how land statutory use fees are set, following a Constitutional Court ruling; building owners would also have to compensate property tax. Amendments on MP compensation, national security companies and ports were also referred.
Latvia's parliament, the Saeima, on 15 October 2026 referred several new bills to its committees. The most prominent one concerns the fee paid for land use where the land and the building on it have different owners (so-called forced divided ownership). The bill was drafted to implement a Constitutional Court ruling and will be examined by the Legal Affairs Committee. The 14th Saeima continues its work until the new 15th Saeima convenes on the first Tuesday of November.
Land use fee
In case No. 2024-21-0103, the Constitutional Court found that the current rules on the statutory land use fee and on the cadastral valuation of such land do not comply with the Satversme, Latvia's constitution. The court noted that the fee does not always serve its compensatory purpose and that neither party may be protected at the other's expense.
Under the bill, a building owner would pay the land owner a use fee and, in addition, compensate the actual amount of property tax on the land. If only part of a land plot is in use, the tax would be compensated in proportion to that part's area.
For now, the fee stays at 4% of the cadastral value per year, but not less than 50 euros annually, plus 15 euros a year for payment notice costs. The parties will be able to agree otherwise in writing. The minimum fee applies until 31 December 2031; after that the building owner keeps paying the previous amount until the parties agree or a court settles the dispute. A land owner seeking a higher fee in court will have to show why it fulfils the compensatory function. The Cabinet of Ministers will define cases in which a public body as land owner must agree to a lower fee with certain groups of building owners.
Other bills
Amendments to the Saeima's Rules of Procedure would move the regulation of MP compensation to the Remuneration Law and clarify elections of officials: if only one candidate is nominated for a Presidium post, voting by ballot will not take place. The bill was declared urgent and adopted in the first reading on 15 October.
Amendments to the National Security Law, sent to the Defence, Internal Affairs and Corruption Prevention Committee, would allow one joint application for several Cabinet permits in a single transaction and remove the permit requirement where the ultimate beneficial owner does not change. Extensions up to four months would be decided by the Ministry of Economics.
Amendments to the Ports Law, sent to the Economic, Agrarian, Environmental and Regional Policy Committee, would settle the legal status of port authorities and separate a port's core activity and industrial areas.
