The need to write this book has arisen in connection with my recent conviction that a common European inheritance law in any form (in particular within the European Union) would be highly desirable. Undoubtedly, inheritance law today belongs to the areas of private law, which in recent times, especially in Central and Eastern Europe, have been gaining importance. The solutions so far considered as stable are undergoing transformations associated with many dynamic changes in the social relations caused by an increase in the importance of private property, higher migration rates, and/or other factors that raise the value of assets. This is the perfect time to look at the current trends of development in the law and consider whether, in the individual countries making up the European economic area, any common denominators enabling the possible harmonization of inheritance law in Europe have come into existence.
Author(s): Mariusz Załucki
Publisher: Oficyna Wydawnicza AFM
Year: 2015
Language: English
Tags: Politologia; Prawo; Stosunki międzynarodowe; politics; law; international relations EU law; European Union (EU); EU; EU Succession Regulation; inheritance law; harmonization of law; intestate succession; testamentarny formalities; regulatory harmonization (law); liability for inheritance debts; testamentary dispositions
Introduction.............................................................................................................7
Chapter 1. The European path to uniform inheritance law
1.1. The European integration .......................................................................15
1.2. EU Succession Regulation (Brussels IV) ...............................................27
1.3. Fundamentals of institutional harmonization of inheritance law ....32
1.4. Conclusions and recommendations .......................................................36
Chapter 2. Values and principles of modern inheritance law
2.1. Determinants of inheritance law standards...........................................39
2.2. Selected basic principles and values of inheritance law ......................46
Chapter 3. The ability to harmonize regulations on intestate succession
3.1. Intestate succession - general comments ..............................................51
3.2. Selected theoretical concepts ..................................................................55
3.3. Normative foundations ...........................................................................58
3.4. The circle of successors ..........................................................................69
3.5. Conclusions and recommendations .......................................................75
Chapter 4. The ability to harmonize regulations on testamentary
formalities
4.1. Testamentary succession – general comments .....................................79
4.2. The existing forms of wills .....................................................................83
4.3. Develompent trends .................................................................................92
4.4. New concepts ............................................................................................98
4.5. Conclusions and recommendations .....................................................102
Chapter 5. The ability to harmonize regulations on the protection
of family against testamentary dispositions
5.1. The need to protect persons close to the testator..............................105
5.2. The circle of the entitled .......................................................................108
5.3. The nature of individual rights..............................................................113
5.3.1. Reserve ...........................................................................................113
5.3.2. Legitim ...........................................................................................117
5.3.3. The quasi-maintenance system ...................................................120
5.3.4. Development trends ....................................................................123
5.4. Conclusions and recommendations .....................................................125
Chapter 6. The ability to harmonize regulations on liability
for inheritance debts
6.1. The nature of liability for inheritance debts........................................129
6.2. Models of liability for inheritance debts..............................................132
6.2.1. Unlimited liability .........................................................................132
6.2.2. Limited liability .............................................................................137
6.3. Develompent trends ...............................................................................140
6.4. Conclusions and recommendations .....................................................143
Concluding remarks..........................................................................................145
Bibliography ........................................................................................................149
