The Portuguese notariat organised on 29 and 30 September 2023, in the city of Aveiro, its IV International Congress entitled "Citizens' rights in a globalised and digital world". For two days, notaries and legal professionals examined the impact of new technologies on the public service provided by Portuguese notaries. The Congress also provided an opportunity to strengthen cooperation with the Community of Portuguese-speaking Countries, the Ibero-American countries, and the EU Member States.
Dr Alfonso Patrão's speech attracted particular interest from the ENRWA. The professor at the Faculty of Law of the University of Coimbra and expert judge at the Constitutional Court of Portugal, recalled the European harmonisation procedures in the field of cross-border successions. In particular, he addressed the challenges and opportunities presented by the use of the European Certificate of Succession. He also presented a number of issues that remain to be resolved, such as when several Member States are competent to issue an ESC or when the content of national public documents is different or contradictory to the content of a European Succession Certificate.
The Congress gave rise to lively discussions and a rich exchange of ideas on how to make life easier for citizens and ensure that the most vulnerable people have access to their rights.
