The CNUE takes part in the High-Level Forum on Justice for Growth

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On 27 March 2025, CNUE President Cosita Delvaux and Secretary General Vincent Tilman participated in the High-Level Forum on Justice for Growth, organised jointly by the European Commission and the Polish Presidency of the Council of the EU. This first edition of the forum brought together key stakeholders to discuss how civil and company law, along with the digitalisation of justice, can enhance the EU’s competitiveness and economic growth.

Strengthening the link between justice and economic growth
In his opening remarks, European Commissioner for Justice Michael McGrath highlighted that common, simple, and modern legal rules can help reduce administrative and legal costs for businesses, facilitating cross-border trade and strengthening the EU’s internal market.

CNUE General Assembly – Brussels, 21 March 2025

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On 21 March, the Council of the Notariats of the European Union (CNUE) held its General Assembly under the presidency of Cosita Delvaux. The meeting brought together representatives from the 22 member notariats to discuss key legislative and policy developments at the European level.

European Commission’s 2025 Work Programme
A central topic of discussion was the European Commission’s 2025 Work Programme, with particular attention given to initiatives impacting company law, digitalisation, and justice cooperation. The CNUE is closely monitoring several upcoming projects, including the proposed “28th regime” in company law, the European Business Wallet, and the broader fitness check of digital policies. These initiatives will play a crucial role in shaping the regulatory landscape for notaries across Europe.

High-Level Forum on Justice for Growth
The General Assembly also addressed the new High-Level Forum on Justice for Growth, launched by the European Commission in collaboration with the Polish Presidency of the Council. This initiative aims to define the EU’s future strategy for justice in support of economic growth and competitiveness. The CNUE will actively contribute to these discussions to ensure that the role of notaries in facilitating legal certainty and cross-border transactions is well recognised.

Strengthening Notarial Training in Europe
In parallel, the CNUE reaffirmed its commitment to the continuous training of notaries across Europe. A new training programme for the period 2026-2027 is currently being developed and will be submitted for co-funding to the European Commission. If approved, this initiative will provide notaries with essential tools to navigate the evolving legal, digital, and cross-border challenges.

CNUE Annual Report 2024

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The CNUE has just published its annual report for the year 2024. You will find all the highlights of the past year for the European notariat.              

The annual report is available in English and French.

Launch of the JuWiLi II Project – Vienna, 24 January 2025

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On Friday, 24 January 2025, the Austrian notariat hosted the kick-off meeting of the Justice Without Litigation for Europe II (JuWiLi II) project in Vienna. This ambitious project, coordinated by the Austrian notariat and co-funded by the European Union, builds on the success of the first JuWiLi project (2020-2022). 

The goal of JuWiLi II is to strengthen judicial cooperation in civil and commercial matters across the European Union by delegating certain non-contentious judicial procedures to non-judicial actors, such as notaries. The project highlights the growing role of notaries in key areas such as successions, divorce, parental responsibility, and the protection of adults. 

JuWiLi II aims to deliver several tangible outcomes: 

• A comprehensive analysis of the legal systems in EU Member States, with a focus on the judicial functions performed by notaries; 
• The creation of best practice models for non-contentious procedures; 
• An innovative economic study demonstrating the benefits of outsourcing these procedures; 
• Policy recommendations to better integrate notarial judicial activities into the EU legal framework. 

The CNUE plays a central role in this project. As a key partner, the CNUE will help coordinate specific activities via the European Notarial Network (ENN). It will also develop online tools for communication and cooperation and provide training ressources for notaries across the 22 participating Member States. 

During the launch meeting, CNUE President Cosita Delvaux said: 

“I am confident that JuWiLi II represents a unique opportunity to reinforce the notarial profession’s role in ensuring access to justice across the EU. This project is not merely about refining existing practices — it is about shaping the future of non-contentious justice in Europe.” 

Handover ceremony – Luxembourg, 16 January 2025

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During the handover ceremony held in Luxembourg on Thursday, 16 January, Cosita Delvaux, a member of the Chamber of Notaries of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, became the first female President of the Council of the Notariats of the European Union (CNUE). She will serve her mandate throughout 2025, succeeding Lithuanian notary Marius Stračkaitis.

At the ceremony, Elisabeth Margue, Luxembourg’s Minister of Justice, praised the vital role of notaries as key actors of the rule of law and guarantors of legal certainty. She highlighted their mission as public officials, providing advice and assistance in an increasingly complex legal environment. The Minister also emphasised the significant challenges facing the notarial profession, including digitalisation, cybersecurity, and the the ever-increasing cross-border dimension of legal relations, which require common solutions through cooperation among notaries.

In her inaugural address, President Delvaux expressed her deep commitment to the values of the European notariat, stressing both continuity and innovation.

She outlined the following priorities for her presidency in view of the:
✅ Digitalisation of justice and company law, to enhance the modernity and resilience of the notarial profession in addressing technological challenges and cybersecurity risks.
✅ Cross-border protection of adults, to meet the increasing needs of European citizens in a context of greater mobility.
✅ Ten year anniversary of the European Regulation on International Successions, aiming to draw lessons from its implementation and inspire progress in other legal fields.

Cosita Delvaux also reaffirmed her ambition to represent the 22 member notariats and the 50,000 European notaries, strengthening their central role in ensuring legal security and preventing disputes, in the service of citizens, businesses, and institutions.