Informal Meeting of Ministers for Justice and Home Affairs on Judicial Cooperation in Family Law Matters

Yesterday, the Ministers of Justice of the European Union met to discuss the future of judicial cooperation in the fields of family law and the law of succession.

Due to an constant increase of international family relationships, the Ministers of Justice agree that further actions have to be taken in these fields of law. Thus, the planned new legal instruments concerning family law and the law of succession have a high priority during the German Presidency of the European Union. 

The aim of the new rules is to grant European citizens not only greater legal certainty and predictability, but also greater freedom and flexibility concerning the way they choose to organise their relationships in terms of family law. The objective is thus to strengthen the autonomy of the parties also in the fields of family and succession law. Whilst the Member States are united in their objective, opinions differ as to how best to achieve it. The majority of the Ministers of Justice hold the view that the aim is not only to improve the international procedural rules applicable to cross-border cases, but also to harmonise private international law in the areas of family and succession law.

The full press release can be found on the website of the German Council Presidency.