In recent decades land registration systems operating in Europe and worldwide have been subject to modernisation processes consisting in implementation of information and communication technologies. Such reforms have gradually led to facilitating access to land information, improving effectiveness of land registration proceedings and even introducing possibilities to dispose of the ownership of land electronically by developing electronic conveyancing mechanisms. Another innovative concept much discussed nowadays is the application of blockchain technology in the land registration sector. This solution is currently being tested in a number of countries.Distributed ledger technology underlying blockchain is expected to revolutionise land registration by offering a secure architecture to store land transactions with the use of cryptographic protocol. This shall bring advantages of increased trust and processing efficiency as well as reduction of costs. However, the above idea raises concerns given that, under the assumptions of the “original” blockchain model, transactions are irreversible and are carried out without intermediaries, which means the lack of any external control and independent verification of the transactions to be recorded.The article examines potential benefits and risks of automatisation of land transactions as well as practical experiences of selected countries in implementing blockchain in the area of land registration. On this basis, an assessment will be made as to whether blockchain-based registration could indeed replace the existing methodology of registering rights to land.

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The development of information technologies offers new possibilities of use of information collected in public registers, such as land registers and cadastres, which play a significant role in establishing the infrastructure for spatial information. Efficient use of spatial information systems with the purpose of a sustainable land management shall be based on en suring the interconnection of different information resources, data exchange, as well as a broad access to data. The role of land registration systems in the context of technological advancement was the subject of the Common Vision Conference 2016. Migration to a Smart World, held on 5–7 June 2016 in Amsterdam. The conference was organized by Europe’s five leading mapping, cadastre and land registry associations, cooperating within a “Common Vision” agreement: EuroGeographics, Permanent Committee on Cadastre, European Land Registries Association, European Land Information Service and Council of European Geodetic Surveyors. The discussion during the conference focused on topics regarding the idea of smart cities, marine cadastre, interoperability of spatial data, as well as the impact of land registers and cadastres on creating the infrastructure for spatial information and developing e-government, at both national and European levels. The paper aims to present an overview of issues covered by the conference and also to highlight some important problems arising from implementing advanced technology solutions in the field of land registration.

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