Die geplante Revision des schweizerischen Internationalen Erb-rechts: Erweiterte Gestaltungsmöglichkeiten und Koordination mit der Europäischen Erbrechtsverordnung (Andrea Bonomi)

The main purpose of the proposed revision of Chapter 6 of the Private International Law Act is to improve the coordination between the Swiss rules and the European Succession Regulation (No 650/2012). The EU instrument has a significant impact in Switzerland, since many of its rules (notably those on jurisdiction and on the determination of the applicable law) are also relevant in the relationship to third States. Although the overall philosophy of the European Regulation corresponds to that of Swiss law, a number of discrepancies exist in the regulation of detailed aspects, giving rise to conflicts and creating obstacles for an efficient estate planning strategy. Yet with regard to the new possibility of selecting the competent court, the extension of the right to choose the law applicable to the succession (professio juris), and a better framework for dispositions upon death (wills and succession agreements), the proposed text clearly goes in the right direction.