Uniform European Inheritance Law. Myth, Dream or Reality of the Future

Abstract

The need to write this book has arisen in connection with author's 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.

Keywords: inheritance law, succession law, EU, harmonization

JEL Classification: K10, K11