What are the EU inheritance rules?

The national law that applies to the inheritance may allow you to declare before a court if you accept or waive a succession. Under EU rules, you can make such a declaration before a court in the EU country in which you live, even if the court dealing with the inheritance is located in another EU country.

What is the law on inheritance?

Inheritance law is the body of law that dictates who receives property when someone dies. Inheritance law controls which deceased person’s survivors (the friends and relatives they left behind) inherit the deceased person’s (decedent’s) property. Different states have different inheritance laws.

How does an inheritance work in an EU country?

However, if the deceased chose the law of their nationality to apply to their inheritance and that is the nationality of an EU country you and the other heirs or parties concerned can agree to bring the issue to the courts of that EU country. All concerned must agree on this choice of court.

Can you choose the law of your country of inheritance?

EU rules however allow you to choose that the law of your country of nationality should apply to your inheritance – whether this is an EU country or not. If you have several nationalities, you can choose the law of any of your nationalities. You should express your choice of law explicitly and clearly, in a will or in a separate declaration.

How is a succession treated in the EU?

1 a succession is treated coherently, by one single court applying one single law 2 people can choose whether the law applicable to their succession should be that of the country they have last lived in or that of their nationality 3 court decisions on successions in one EU country are recognised and enforced in other EU countries

Where can I get a certificate of succession in Europe?

without any special procedure. You can get a European Certificate of Succession from a court in the EU country with the power to rule on the inheritance, or from another competent authority – for example, a notary – in the same country. You can appeal against a refusal to issue a European Certificate of Succession.