CNUE Conference on the future of Europe in the field of Justice

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On 7 December 2021, the CNUE organised an event entitled “Strengthening the rule of law in the face of economic and social change – The Notaries of Europe propose, The Notaries of Europe act“, as part of the Conference on the future of Europe. On this occasion, the CNUE presented its proposals for citizens in the presence of representatives of the European institutions. There are eleven proposals. Among them, the CNUE calls for the principle of preventive justice, which prevails in 22 of the 27 EU Member States, to be taken more into account in European policy-making. The CNUE also puts forward proposals to put an end to double taxation in inheritance matters in Europe, to better protect vulnerable adults or to regulate digital inheritance in order to take into account the online assets of a deceased person. Finally, the CNUE calls on the Member States to set up registers and to interconnect them, for example in the following areas: protection regimes for adults, matrimonial regimes and registered partnerships, European succession certificates, powers of attorney, living wills, etc. In the afternoon, discussions were devoted to the digital projects of European notariats, as well as to the European Commission’s proposals presented on 1 December for the digitisation of cross-border cooperation of judicial systems.

Věra JOUROVA, Vice-President of the European Commission for Values and Transparency:

“Legal professions, such as notaries, play a fundamental role in ensuring the protection of fundamental rights and strengthening the rule of law. An effective judicial system requires that all legal professionals pursue freely their activities in implementing individual rights. You in particular, as notaries, represent a strong legal profession that citizens need in their daily lives when they get married, buy property, deal with inheritance issues, resolve a whole range of important legal issues. You are the face of justice for the citizens.”

Ádám TÓTH, President of the Council of the Notariats of the European Union:

“In Europe, the law is based on the principle of preventive justice and effective regulation of economic operators. In 22 Member States, notaries have been guaranteeing legality for several centuries and have always been able to adapt to societal changes. The notarial function concerns authenticity, truth, security and the preservation of data on which the trust of States and our fellow citizens is based. At a time when forgeries, false information, falsified data, money laundering and cybercrime are on the increase, this truth and security are more than ever essential to society and the rule of law.“

Roberta METSOLA, Vice-President of the European Parliament:

“I admire your resilience and your ability to adapt over the years. I admire your commitment to building a Europe of law and to the European project as a whole. The CNUE is active in the most crucial areas: citizenship, entrepreneurship, access to justice and consumer protection. So I ask you, in this next phase, where we are collectively shaping the future of Europe, to continue to engage with us as you have done in the past. We know that you are engaged with citizens in some of the most important milestones of their lives. That is why we rely heavily on your expertise and insights.”

Gašper DOVŽAN, State Secretary for European Affairs, Slovenia:

“Your contribution to the reflection on how to bring Europe closer to the citizens is highly appreciated. Your experience in working closely with citizens on a daily basis allows you to understand their interests but also their challenges.”

Didier REYNDERS, European Commissioner for Justice: 

“I warmly welcome the long-standing commitment of notaries to support the use of digital tools in their work, whether it is secure communication between notaries and clients, the digitisation of public registers or the creation of the European Directory of Notaries.”