The Catalonia Expropriation Jury: Legal Guarantee and Service to the Public Interest

Opposite Casa Burés, in the center of Barcelona, is the headquarters of the Catalonia Expropriation Jury, a key body in ensuring the balance between the public interest and private property rights.

This independent entity —attached to the Department of the Presidency but operating autonomously— intervenes when the Administration and a private party fail to reach an agreement on the value of a property subject to expropriation. Through a highly multidisciplinary team (including lawyers, notaries, land registrars, architects, economists, and engineers, among others), the Jury determines the fair compensation (justiprice) based on technical, objective, and rigorous criteria.

Last year, it resolved 249 cases, with valuations exceeding €12.7 million. Among its recent actions was the mediation in the expropriation of the Venus building in Sant Adrià del Besòs.

Roser Martínez, President of the Girona Section of the Expropriation Jury and Director of the Manuel Ballbé Chair in Human Security and Global Law, participated in the institutional meeting with La Vanguardia, highlighting the importance of this institution as a legal safeguard for citizens and as a key element of sound public governance.

From the Manuel Ballbé Chair, we commend and value the commitment to a technical, independent administration serving the public interest.

Family photo of the full plenary session of the Catalonia Expropriation Jury last Wednesday, February 25, 2026