The new European Certificate of Succession
If at the moment of our death we still have property assets located in Spain, our heirs are obliged to fulfill a number of formalities requirements in order to register this property on their name. These processes will be facilitated in 2015 through the creation of a European Certificate of Succession.
We all want to be together with our beloved ones at the time of our death. And in most cases, these people close to us are going to be also our heirs. Therefore, during the registration of inheritance, it is desirable that the authorities our heirs will have to address to, were not too far away geographically from the place where we spend our last days with them.
Until now, for example, in the event of a German couple who had moved to Spain to spend his retirement in a property house, their heirs had to apply to the authorities in Germany for a certificate of succession, because according to the present laws only German authorities are competent in determining who the heir is. This led to the fact that the spouse of the deceased, who had moved to live with him or her in Spain, and probably had no longer residence in Germany, was forced to travel to Germany to apply for the certificate of inheritance or had to entrust someone to get it .
A new European law, which applies in all the countries of the European Union, will try to lighten things up in this case we have just described by the new European Certificate of Succession, which is automatically recognized in all member states and may be issued by the authorities of the State where the deceased had his habitual residence. But, on the other hand, we must take into account that the law of the State of habitual residence becomes the general rule of law applicable to the succession. It is therefore advisable to consult and be be aware of how this law will govern our inheritance and, if necessary, avoid unintended consequences through a notarized will.
Carlos Prieto Cid
Tarracoiuris Abogados, Spanish Lawyers in Tarragona, Spain
Member of Eurojuris España, international network of Spanish Law Firms
