MEPs demand end to "land grab" law.

6.00.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Tue 27th Jul 2004

Sarah Ludford MEP with members of the "Abusos Urbanisticos-No" campaign group who attended the Petitions Committee meeting.

London Liberal Democrat MEP Sarah Ludford has welcomed the ringing endorsement by the European Parliament's Petitions Committee of a report demanding an end to abuses of fundamental rights of thousands of Costa Blanca home-owners in the Valencia region of Spain, among them many British people.

They have suffered from the application of a law - possibly well-intentioned when originally brought in a decade ago - whereby part of their property can be compulsorily acquired and they have to make a contribution to local infrastructure.

Sarah Ludford said: "This law has been totally perverted and become a rip-off charter for unscrupulous developers often acting in collusion, sadly, with corrupt local mayors. The lives of decent people who brought a home in good faith for retirement or holidays have been utterly ruined by loss of their land or house, and exorbitant financial demands."

"I am glad that MEPs, in demanding an end to this law and proper compensation, have demonstrated that they are determined to make a stand in defence of human rights guaranteed under European laws."

The committee will take further steps in September to follow up their initial endorsement of the report.