agreement as to successionmeans an agreement, including an agreement resulting from mutual wills, which, with or without consideration, creates, modifies or terminates rights to the future estate or estates of one or more persons party to the agreement;
authentic instrumentmeans a document in a matter of succession which has been formally drawn up or registered as an authentic instrument in a Member State and the authenticity of which:
courtmeans any judicial authority and all other authorities and legal professionals with competence in matters of succession which exercise judicial functions or act pursuant to a delegation of power by a judicial authority or act under the control of a judicial authority, provided that such other authorities and legal professionals offer guarantees with regard to impartiality and the right of all parties to be heard and provided that their decisions under the law of the Member State in which they operate: The Member States shall notify the Commission of the other authorities and legal professionals referred to in the first subparagraph in accordance with Article 79.
court settlementmeans a settlement in a matter of succession which has been approved by a court or concluded before a court in the course of proceedings;
decisionmeans any decision in a matter of succession given by a court of a Member State, whatever the decision may be called, including a decision on the determination of costs or expenses by an officer of the court;
disposition of property upon deathmeans a will, a joint will or an agreement as to succession;
joint willmeans a will drawn up in one instrument by two or more persons;
Member State of enforcementmeans the Member State in which the declaration of enforceability or the enforcement of the decision, court settlement or authentic instrument is sought;
Member State of originmeans the Member State in which the decision has been given, the court settlement approved or concluded, the authentic instrument established or the European Certificate of Succession issued;
successionmeans succession to the estate of a deceased person and covers all forms of transfer of assets, rights and obligations by reason of death, whether by way of a voluntary transfer under a disposition of property upon death or a transfer through intestate succession;