Decree-Law No. 39/83 regulating land expropriation procedures, in compliance with the Agricultural Reform.

This Decree-Law regulates land expropriation procedures, in compliance with article 75, paragraph 1, point (f) of the Constitution. Article 3 deals with requests for land expropriation, documents needed, and other requirements. Expropriation requests (also non-written) should be notified to the competent Committee (as established in article 2 of the present Decree-Law), or to the Agricultural Reform Cabinet. The expropriation request must be registered in the "Expropriation Procedures Registration Book" after approval by the Ministry of Rural Development (art. 5). Articles 6-8 specify the documents required for each specific case of expropriation. Article 9 concerns, in particular, cases in which the landowner does not exploit or has abandoned his land. Articles 10-23 describe further administrative procedures for land expropriation (duties of the Committee; notification of the expropriation to the Committee, landowner(s), lessee(s); claims; sanctions and penalties; etc.).