The beginnings of a system

Abstract

This article outlines the historical development of Spain’s ca­dastral and property registry system, highlighting the key ins­titutional and legal milestones that enabled their coordination. Since 1987, with the establishment of the Center for Cadastral Management and Tax Cooperation (CGCCT), centralized cadas­tral management was strengthened, and collaboration with the Property Registry began. Law 13/1996 introduced the cadastral reference in notarial and registry documents, marking the first formal step toward linking the two institutions. In 1998, the gra­phic database was incorporated into the Mortgage Regulations; although later annulled by the Supreme Court, it was reinstated with legal authority by Law 24/2001. In 1999, a Cooperation Agreement for cartographic digitization between the Cadastre, the Registry, and the College of Registrars was signed, launching the “Geo-Base” project. Later, the INSPIRE Directive (2007) and Law 14/2010 promoted the opening of spatial data, a process consolidated by Law 13/2015, which for the first time regulated the registration of graphic databases and the coordination be­tween the Cadastre and the Registry.