Substantive law governing the aspects of protecting the right to inheritance: Ukrainian model and EU experience
Keywords:
Legal System, Human Rights, Institutions, Governance, Rule of LawAbstract
During 2020–2025, the inheritance law system in Ukraine underwent significant transformations influenced by internal regulatory reforms, digitalization of notarial services, and the growth of cross-border succession cases. The relevance of the study is determined by the need to adapt national legislation to the challenges of the digital era and ensure gradual convergence with the European legal space. The research focused on assessing the effectiveness of inheritance rights protection through judicial and notarial mechanisms, digital tools, and a comparative perspective with European standards. The central research question addressed in the study was to what extent substantive inheritance law and its enforcement mechanisms in Ukraine ensure effective protection of heirs’ rights compared with the standards established in the European Union. The aim of the study was to identify regulatory gaps, procedural barriers, and factors of legal uncertainty that complicate inheritance practice in Ukraine. The methodology included a systematic and comparative legal analysis, content analysis of 62 court decisions and 34 notarial acts, as well as a survey of 45 specialists. Particular attention was paid to the provisions of the Civil Code of Ukraine, secondary legislation, and Regulation (EU) 2020/1784. The results revealed the absence of a unified procedure for protecting inherited property, inconsistent approaches of courts and notaries, and serious shortcomings in digital registers. Empirical data showed that 40.3% of disputes concerned will invalidity, 70.6% of notarial cases lacked protective measures, and 41% of digital entries were delayed. Unlike the EU, Ukraine does not provide for the European Certificate of Succession, which complicates cross-border inheritance and limits the rights of non-resident heirs. The academic novelty lies in combining regulatory, empirical, and comparative approaches. The practical significance is the formulation of proposals for introducing unified procedures, expanding digital interaction between institutions, and adapting European mechanisms to national practice.
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