New EU rules to ease cross-border successions

Cross-border successions are usually characterised by their high complexity. Succession law varies considerably from one EU country to another. A major step to facilitate cross border successions was the adoption on 4 July 2012 of new European Union rules via Regulation 650/2012, which will make it easier for European citizens to handle the legal side of an international will or succession. Following a transition period, the new rules will be applicable in Finland as of 17th of August 2015.

The new uniform rules will make sure that:

– a given succession is treated coherently, under a single law and by one single authority;
– citizens are able to choose whether the law applicable to their succession should be that of their habitual residence or that of their nationality;
– parallel proceedings and conflicting judicial decisions are avoided; and
– mutual recognition of decisions relating to succession in the EU is ensured.

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6.02.2015 JON