University of Alicante

RESEARCH LINES

The research group structures its research activity around four main thematic areas:

1. Housing law:

The regulation of holiday accommodation has a significant impact on the province of Alicante, given its status as a leading tourist destination. Hence the importance of analysing current regional legislation, as well as proposing legal solutions to the problems arising from its application.

2. Valencian regional civil law:

This is the group’s core area of focus. It deals with the body of legal rules and customs specific to the Valencian Community that govern relations between private individuals. A case in point is the study of Law 3/2013 of 26 July on agricultural contracts and other legal relationships, which sets out specific rules for the sale of agricultural produce — for example, how orange or grape harvests are sold ‘by eye’ or ‘by weight’ — whilst respecting Valencian customs and traditions. The group actively participates in civil society forums and associations that promote the revival and development of Valencian regional civil law.

3. Valencian agricultural law:

This area analyses the legislation governing legal relationships within the agricultural sector of the Valencian Community: rural leases, sharecropping agreements, shared ownership of agricultural holdings and the modernisation of agricultural contracts. This area is directly linked to the needs of farmers, cooperatives and local authorities in rural areas.

4. Health law:

This area examines legal aspects relating to health: patients’ rights, liability in the healthcare sector, the protection of older people, and care and guardianship institutions. A specific example is the project on ‘Care and protection institutions for older people’, which focuses on how the law can better protect people in vulnerable situations.

5. Regional civil law and equality:

This examines the Valencian Community’s own legislative developments in civil matters, including the regulation of the use of the Valencian language in the legal sphere, the rights and duties of Valencian citizens, and legislation on equality. The study of the preliminary draft of the new Valencian Equality Act —commissioned by the Valencian Regional Government— is an example of the practical application of this area of research.

SERVICES OFFERED

The group offers the following services to public bodies, companies and organisations:

• Legal advice and consultancy specialising in Valencian civil law, agricultural law and health law.

• Preparation of technical reports and legal opinions for public institutions and administrations.

• Participation as experts in legislative processes and advisory committees of the Valencian Regional Government.

• Training and outreach: courses, seminars and conferences aimed at legal professionals, civil servants and the general public.

• Organisation of academic and scientific seminars to facilitate debate and the dissemination of Valencian civil law.

AVAILABLE INFRASTRUCTURE

The group has access to the infrastructure of the Department of Civil Law at the University of Alicante, which includes specialised library resources, legal databases and academic spaces for research. It also benefits from the Chair in Notarial Law, which strengthens links with professional legal practice.

ADVANTAGES

Below is a list of some of the benefits that collaboration with the research group can offer to public bodies and businesses:

1. Specialised and in-depth knowledge of the civil legal framework specific to the Valencian Community, which is difficult to access outside the academic sphere.

2. Access to experts with both academic and professional backgrounds: researchers who also practise as legal advisers.

3. The ability to produce rigorous technical reports and legal opinions endorsed by the University of Alicante.

4. Direct links with Valencian regional institutions, facilitating the transfer of knowledge to the legislative sphere.

5. Coverage of a wide range of subject areas: regional law, agricultural law, health law and equality law, enabling us to address a variety of legal needs.

6. The possibility of ‘tailor-made’ training and outreach for professionals, civil servants and the general public.

INNOVATIVE ASPECTS

The Valencian Civil Law Research Group is the only group at the University of Alicante dedicated exclusively to the systematic and ongoing study of the civil law specific to the Valencian Community. What sets it apart is a combination of three elements that make it unique:

Firstly, its thematic specialisation: whilst other university research groups approach civil law from a general or national perspective, the Valencian Civil Law Research Group focuses specifically on Valencian legal institutions, rules and customs, making it a national benchmark in this field.

Secondly, its institutional links: the group maintains close ties with the Valencian Regional Government, the Notarial Association of Valencia and the Provincial Court of Alicante, enabling it to feed its academic findings directly into legislative debate and judicial practice.

Thirdly, the integrative perspective: the group analyses Valencian civil law not in isolation, but in relation to national law and European standards, thereby offering a comprehensive and up-to-date overview that is of great use to legislators, legal professionals, businesses in the agricultural sector, organisations in the health and social care sectors, and the general public.

The research group is currently fully engaged in its research activities, supported by the VIGROB-373FI framework project, funded by the University of Alicante, which ensures the continuity and development of all its lines of research. This long-term outlook reflects the group’s solid foundation and the institution’s commitment to the study of Valencian civil law.

Among the most recent projects, the academic conference on ‘Proposals for the Revival of Valencian Regional Family Law’ (2024), funded by the Presidency of the Valencian Regional Government, stands out; it brought together specialists to discuss the future of family law within the Valencian regional framework.

As regards publications, in 2024 a study on the regulations governing holiday accommodation in the Valencian Community was published in the Revista Jurídica Valenciana, addressing the changes introduced by Decree-Law 9/2024. Previous high-impact publications include works on the Statute of Autonomy (2022), the legal regime governing the Valencian language (2020) and the reform of agricultural contracts (2019), all of which were published in leading national specialist journals. The article published in InDret (2014) on agricultural sales under Valencian regional law remains a key reference work in this field.

The group plays an active role in academic, institutional and civil society forums aimed at the restoration and consolidation of the Valencian Community’s own civil law, positioning itself as a key partner for regional institutions.

The research group’s expertise and services are of particular interest to the following types of organisations and sectors:

Regional and local public administrations:

The Valencian Regional Government, provincial councils and local councils in the Valencian Community can benefit from the group’s ability to produce legal reports on draft bills and regional regulations, as well as to advise on the drafting and reform of their own civil legislation.

Agricultural sector and cooperatives:

Agricultural cooperatives, farmers’ unions, agri-food companies and farmers’ associations can draw on the group’s expertise in Valencian agricultural law to resolve queries regarding sales contracts, agricultural leases, rights relating to farms and the application of the 2013 Law on Agricultural Contracts and Legal Relations.

Health and social care sector:

Hospitals, care homes for the elderly, third-sector organisations and social services bodies can turn to the group for advice on patients’ rights, guardianship and trusteeship institutions, and the legal protection of people in situations of dependency or vulnerability.

Professional legal organizations:

The Bar Associations, Notaries’ Associations, Registrars’ Associations and Solicitors’ Associations of the Valencian Community may collaborate with the group on the continuing professional development of their members in matters of Valencian civil law, as well as on the resolution of specialist legal enquiries.

Property and tourism sector:

Property developers, estate agents, holiday rental platforms and industry associations can benefit from the group’s advice on Valencian regional regulations applicable to holiday accommodation and tenancy agreements.

The research group is seeking public bodies, private companies or research organisations to:

• Set up R&D&I projects with the aim of opening up new lines of research.

• Produce technical or advisory reports.

• Provide specific training or technical support in areas requiring a high level of expertise.

The research areas and services of the research group are protected by the group’s know-how.