The Faroese Cadastral System Through a Fit for Purpose Lens
Author
Steinholm, Sjurdur
Term
4. semester
Publication year
2026
Submitted on
2026-06-04
Abstract
This thesis examines the Faroese cadastre (the public map and register of property boundaries), focusing on how it works today, the challenges in cadastral casework, and how it can develop in the future. Historically, the system has evolved from older land and legal arrangements into a public registration of real property. Umhvørvisstovan (the Faroese environmental authority) plays a leading role in case processing, surveying, and registration. The system largely ensures legal certainty and nationwide spatial registration of properties, but the study identifies notable institutional challenges. These include long processing times, limited specialist capacity, complex consultation procedures, and a need for clearer division of responsibilities between authorities. The study is based on document analysis, legislation and regulations, and semi-structured interviews with key actors in the cadastre, municipal administration, and central government. The analysis uses the Fit-for-Purpose land administration framework, assessing the cadastre along spatial, legal, and institutional dimensions, and also considering skills and institutional capacity. To place the Faroese system in context, it is compared with Denmark and Norway. The comparison shows that the Faroe Islands have a relatively strong spatial and legal foundation, while case processing and institutional organization are less developed than in neighboring countries. The Danish model highlights the importance of clear professional responsibilities, digital coordination, and a strong link between the cadastre and land registration (tinglysning). The Norwegian model illustrates a more municipality-based system with strengthened professional accreditation and national competency requirements. The thesis concludes that a fundamental reform of property rights is not needed. Instead, step-by-step improvements in case handling, digitization, allocation of responsibilities, and professional capacity are recommended. A Fit-for-Purpose-oriented development can improve efficiency without weakening legal certainty, which is one of the system’s strongest features.
Denne afhandling undersøger det færøske matrikelsystem (det offentlige kort og register over ejendomsgrænser) med fokus på, hvordan systemet fungerer i dag, hvilke udfordringer der præger matrikelsagerne, og hvordan det kan udvikles fremover. Historisk er systemet gået fra ældre jord- og retssystemer til en offentlig registrering af fast ejendom. Umhvørvisstovan (Færøernes miljømyndighed) har en hovedrolle i sagsbehandling, opmåling og registrering. Systemet giver i høj grad retlig sikkerhed og en landsdækkende rumlig registrering af ejendomme, men analysen peger på, at de institutionelle forhold udgør en udfordring. Det ses bl.a. i lange sagsbehandlingstider, begrænset faglig kapacitet, komplekse høringsforløb og behov for tydeligere ansvarsfordeling mellem myndigheder. Undersøgelsen bygger på dokumentanalyse, lovgrundlag, vedtægter samt semistrukturerede interviews med nøglepersoner i matrikelområdet, kommunal forvaltning og landsforvaltning. Vurderingen tager udgangspunkt i Fit-for-Purpose land administration, hvor matrikelsystemet vurderes ud fra rumlige, retlige og institutionelle dimensioner, suppleret af en vurdering af kompetencer og kapacitet. For at sætte de færøske forhold i perspektiv sammenlignes systemet med Danmark og Norge. Sammenligningen viser, at Færøerne har en relativt stærk rumlig og retlig grundstruktur, mens sagsbehandling og institutionel organisering er mindre udviklet end i nabolandene. Den danske model fremhæver betydningen af klare faglige ansvar, digital samordning og en stærk kobling mellem matrikel og tinglysning. Den norske model viser en mere kommunalt forankret ordning med styrket faglig godkendelse og nationale kompetencekrav. Afhandlingen konkluderer, at der ikke er behov for en grundlæggende reform af ejendomsretten, men for trinvis udvikling af sagsbehandling, digitalisering, ansvarsfordeling og faglig kapacitet. En Fit-for-Purpose-orienteret udvikling kan styrke effektiviteten uden at svække retssikkerheden, som er en af systemets stærkeste sider.
[This abstract has been rewritten with the help of AI based on the project's original abstract]