Land administration systems play a crucial role in managing land and have evolved over time to meet societal needs. Recent global initiatives, including the UN-GGIMs Framework for Effective Land Administration (FELA), aim to modernise these systems to support sustainable development. FELA emphasises that land administration must be effective, interoperable, and inclusive, aligning with global standards and practices to accelerate efforts to document and manage land relationships effectively.

In response to these goals, the UN-GGIM and EuroSDR conducted a survey across 22 European countries to assess the adoption of FELA’s pathways: Data, Standards, and Innovation. The survey revealed that many countries prioritise critical data themes like parcels and buildings, aligning with the goal of reliable data and secure service quality. However, gaps remain in ensuring dataset-specific security and reducing data duplication.

Innovation in land administration is mainly driven by government initiatives, supported by citizen and private sector engagement. While some regions have formal innovation processes and state-of-the-art infrastructures, others rely on ad-hoc methods, indicating a need for more structured approaches to foster technological advancement.

The survey also shows strong engagement with international standards such as ISO and INSPIRE, promoting interoperability. However, some regions still manage standards independently, limiting collaboration and integration. Compliance systems are generally in place, but the consistent adoption of standards remains a challenge in certain areas.

Overall, the survey indicates partial conformity with the FELA objectives and requirements. To achieve full alignment, improvements in automation, innovation management, and the coordinated adoption of standards are needed. These enhancements will be critical for advancing land administration systems and achieving sustainable development across Europe.