The ELI wishes to convey its warmest gratitude to the Project Reporters, Wendy Schrama, ELI President Christiane Wendehorst and Katharina Boele-Woelki for the work done on this project. A warm thank you should also be extended to the other members of the Working Group as well as to the Advisory and Members Consultative Committees for their continuous support and for the critical feedback given throughout the project.

The approved Instrument can be found here. Three different toolkits for legal advisers have been designed (for married couples; registered partners and couples in informal relationships) with a view of assisting legal professions in advising international couples within the EU. Their focus is on the economic consequences of the relationship and its potential dissolution through divorce, separation or death.

You can also find an information sheet designed for couples themselves highlighting the implications of cross-border relationships and containing practical advice on how to prepare for the first meeting with a lawyer here.

Please note that the Working Group is constantly reviewing the toolkits as new developments come to light. Moreover, Project Reporter Christiane Wendehorst has and continues to update national ministries on the project’s output and consults with them.

For more information about the project itself (ie background, aim, case studies, etc) please consult the following section of our website.

The Instrument will be published commercially alongside country reports in the coming months.