Inheriting and bequeathing in Europe

Tuesday, June 22, 2010 - 13:00 in Mathematics & Economics

The holiday home on the Costa del Sol, the bank account in London, the local assets of foreign citizens resident in Germany - which rules apply to the bequeathing of such assets? Not an easy question, because the freedom to stipulate how one's assets are to be disposed of in one's last will and testament is subject to different limitations in each country of the EU. There is not even agreement between the Member States as to which national law must be applied to an inheritance which involves different countries. Researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Comparative and International Private Law in Hamburg have drawn up a statement as to how inheriting and bequeathing within the EU could be made simpler in the future. The statement supports the corresponding proposals by the European Commission.

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