The Council of Ministers approved, on a meeting held on 12 May 2021, the draft Decree Law enacting the Legal Regime of Soil Classification and Qualification. The decree law entered into force on July 1st 2021.

The Timor-Leste´s Government has approved, in a meeting of the Council of Ministers held on 12 May 2021, the draft decree law enacting the Legal Regime of Soil Classification and Qualification ("Legal Regime"). The decree law entered into force on July 1st 2021, one day after its publication in the Official Gazette.

This diploma supplements Law No. 6/2017, of 19 April, which approved the Legal Framework of Territorial Planning ("Law").

This Legal Regime aims to establish the soil classification and qualification parameters, applicable to the procedures for the preparation, amendment and review of territorial plans of municipal scope, in accordance with the land use regime defined in the Law.

Soils are classified as urban or rural, reflecting a planning option through which a fundamental distinction is made as to their nature, functions, potential and basic destination.