A succession with cross-border elements can raise two different questions: the courts whose state can resolve the case and the law that applies to the inheritance. In the European Union, the answer stems from Regulation (EU) No. 650/2012, which applies primarily to the succession of persons who died on or after August 17, 2015.
Where is succession judged?
As a rule, the courts of the Member State where the deceased had their habitual residence at the time of death have jurisdiction over the succession as a whole, pursuant to Article 4 of the Rome Convention. European Regulation on Successions. The habitual residence is determined based on the concrete circumstances of the person’s life; the domicile in the documents or the location of a property does not alone resolve the analysis. The regulation also provides for limited situations of subsidiary jurisdiction and special rules regarding the choice of court.
Which law governs inheritance?
Apart from the jurisdiction of the court, Article 21 establishes, as a rule, the application of the law of the state of the deceased’s habitual residence at the time of death. Exceptionally, if all the circumstances indicate a clearly closer connection with another state, the law of that state may be applied. The regulation is universally applicable: the designated law may be applied even if it belongs to a state outside the Union.
The deceased could choose, for the succession as a whole, the law of the state of which he or she was a citizen at the time of the election or at the time of death. The choice must be expressed in a disposition for cause of death or result from it, according to Article 22. The choice of the law does not automatically transfer the case to the courts of that state. The agreement on the court is regulated separately by Articles 5–7 and requires the conditions provided for by the regulation.
What problems does the inheritance law cover?
The law established under the regulation governs succession as a whole and regulates, among other things, who can inherit, the successor shares, liability for the debts of the inheritance, and the division of the inheritance. The regulation does not harmonize taxation, the matrimonial regime, or the administrative aspects of succession; these may require separate analyses.
The court, the notary and the European certificate
The regulation distinguishes between courts and other authorities that administer inheritances. Notarial decisions and documents do not automatically have the same European qualification. In the case C-658/17, the Court of Justice of the European Union pointed out that a national certificate can constitute an authentic act within the meaning of the regulation if it meets the European criteria; the qualification depends on the tasks and procedure of the issuing authority.
The European Certificate of Successor is an optional instrument intended to prove the quality or succession rights in another Member State. It does not replace national documents in all situations. In Romania, the succession claims provided for in Art. 118 of the Code of Civil Procedure They are the exclusive competence of the court of the deceased’s last domicile until the dissolution of the individual. In international cases, this rule applies after the jurisdiction is established according to the European regulation, insofar as the Romanian courts are competent.
The habitual residence, the existence of an election of law and the authority’s competence must be verified based on the documents and circumstances of each case. The information above is general.
