Planning your cross-border inheritance

You can choose the law of your country of nationality to apply to your inheritance

Your inheritance also know legally as succession will usually be handled by an authority – often a court or a notary – in the EU country where you last lived. This authority will in most cases apply its own national law to your inheritance.

EU rules however allow you to choose that the law of your country of nationality should apply to your inheritance – whether this is an EU country or not.

If you have several nationalities, you can choose the law of any of your nationalities.

You should express your choice of law explicitly and clearly, in a will or in a separate declaration. Your will or declaration will be considered valid if it meets the requirements of:

• the EU country where you last lived, or
• the law of your country of nationality, if you so choose.

https://europa.eu/youreurope/citizens/family/inheritances/planning-inheritance/index_en.htm