National information and online form concerning Regulation No. 650/2012 that makes it easier for citizens to handle the legal aspects of an international succession
Regulation 650/2012 of 4 July 2012, applying from 17 August 2015, makes it easier for citizens to handle the legal aspects of an international succession by ensuring that a cross-border succession is treated coherently, under a single law and by one single authority.
The Regulation applies between all Member States except Denmark and Ireland.
The Regulation also introduces a European Certificate of Succession (ECS). The ECS is issued by the authority dealing with the succession, and can be used by heirs, legatees, executors of wills and administrators of the estate to prove their status and exercise their rights or powers in other Member States. Once issued, the ECS will be recognized in all Member States without any special procedure being required.
For additional information, please go to our page on successions, or consult our citizen’s guide on cross-border successions.
While it is strongly recommended to complete the ECS form online, the possibility of downloading the Word 
(159 Kb) 
version of ECS form exists. However, be advised that the content of the form fully corresponds to the annexes of the Regulation, and that the text provided in them should not be altered. Altering the provided text could impact form’s validity.
Submission of forms to competent authority
Completed forms should be sent to the relevant competent authority in a manner required by the authority. More information on the contact details for competent authorities, relevant national legislature etc. can be found in the European Judicial Atlas section. This page contains dedicated national factsheets, some of which provide information on the competent authorities to which to send completed forms.
Sie können diese Formulare online ausfüllen, indem Sie auf einen der folgenden Links klicken. Wenn Sie bereits mit dem Ausfüllen eines Formulars begonnen und es als Entwurf gespeichert haben, können Sie es hochladen, indem Sie auf „Entwurf laden“ klicken.
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Last update : 25/04/2022