17/06/2026
⚖️✒️🗞️Legal Update For British Testators Choosing Their National Law To Govern Their Succession As A Whole: The French Law Hereditary Reserve Mechanism Does NOT Apply.
Put simply, this means that English wills benefiting the surviving spouse can be given full effect.
"In conclusion, the objective of the third paragraph of Article 913 of the Civil Code is to enable Article 35 of the Succession Regulation to be implemented. Moreover, the wording of that provision excludes the right to compensation in the presence of an alternative reserve mechanism protective of children (…), and does not have the effect of imposing the hereditary reserve mechanism provided for by French law.”
Pre-closure letter concerning a multiple complaint on an alleged breach by France of the EU rules on succession matters - CPLT(2022)03325 [date: 04 June 2026]