Recent developments with the notarial umbrella organisations CNUE and UINL

About the CNUE

The German Federal Chamber of Notaries is committed at European level within the umbrella organisation of European notaries (Council of the Notariats of the European Union; CNUE). The CNUE represents the common interests of Latin-type European notaries and serves as a forum for coordination between the respective Member Notariats in terms of technical and legal policy matters. In addition, the CNUE prepares coordinated positions in legislative procedures at European level in various working groups. Alongside the German notarial profession, 21 other Member Notariats are currently represented in the CNUE, each through their national chambers or professional associations.

The General Assembly in Brussels on 10 December 2025

On 10 December 2025, at the last of the General Assemblies, which are usually held three times a year, Maltese notary Roland Wadge was elected as the new CNUE President for 2026. Dutch notary Annerie Ploumen was appointed as his Vice-President and will take over the presidency in 2027. The formal handover of powers from the outgoing predecessor Cosita Delvaux from Luxembourg took place in Malta on 16 January 2026. High-ranking political representatives, including the President of Malta, Myriam Spiteri Debono attended the handover ceremony and held speeches. This is the first time in the history of the CNUE that Malta holds the presidency. During his term of office, Roland Wadge intends to focus primarily on issues that are currently of particular relevance to most European notaries, such as the so-called 28th regime, the European Business Wallet and the European anti-money laundering package. The new office holder also attaches particular importance to issues relating to the digitalisation of the notariat.

The exhibition ‘Ink to Cloud’ from 16 to 20 March 2026

An exhibition organised by the CNUE opens today, 16 March 2026, and highlights the fact that notaries continue to play an important role in light of the ongoing digitalisation of society. The exhibition, entitled ‘Ink to Cloud – Securing transmission over centuries’ focuses on digital transformation from the perspective of inheritance law. In three parts, historical documents are juxtaposed with the modern challenges of settling a digital estate in the present day, for example in the case of digital assets such as social media accounts or data stored in the cloud. The exhibition emphasises that preventive administration of justice in general and the notarial profession in particular can guarantee reliability and adaptability even in times of social and technological change.

The exhibition can be visited at the European Parliament only this week (from Monday 16 March to Friday 20 March inclusive), but it is also possible to view it online at www.notariesofeurope-exhibition.eu. The German Federal Chamber of Notaries is exhibiting several notarial authentic instruments, in particular the will of Georg von Bayern.

About the UINL

In addition to its commitment at European level within the CNUE, the German notariat also plays an active role in the global umbrella organisation of the Latin notarial profession, the International Union of Notaries (International Union of Notaries; UINL). The organisation currently represents 93 Member Notariats from all over the world. The aim of the UINL is to promote international cooperation among notaries, develop common professional standards and strengthen the importance of preventive administration of justice in the framework of international legal transactions. A major highlight of international cooperation was the 31^st International Congress of Notaries, which took place in Berlin in October 2025 and brought together more than 900 participants from all over the world. The Congress provided an opportunity for an in-depth exchange on the future of the notarial profession, in particular on the impact of new technologies and the role of preventive administration of justice in an increasingly digitalised world.

New legislative term 2026–2028

A new legislative term for the UINL period has started at the beginning of 2026. The term of office of the new President, David Figueroa Márquez, was officially inaugurated during the first institutional meetings in Mexico City at the end of February 2026. The agenda of the Steering Committee included the presentation of the President's action plan for the 2026–2028 term of office, the election of the members of the intercontinental and continental commissions, and the election of the members of various working groups.

Outlook 

For the current legislative term, the UINL intends to set ambitious goals under the leadership of its new president. According to his action plan, the organisation will evolve from a primarily representative umbrella organisation into a platform that provides services, communication and guidance for notaries worldwide. In terms of content, the work in the coming years will focus on the central theme of the economic and social value of notarial authentic instruments, thereby raising awareness of the preventive function of notarial activity in terms of legal certainty, economic stability and conflict avoidance. To achieve this objective, the action plan includes measures to make the work of the commissions more practice-oriented and to expand digital communication and information structures in order to further deepen international exchange between the notariats across the world.

About the author

Markus Brückner is a notary candidate in the district of the Baden-Württemberg Chamber of Notaries and works as a legal advisor in the Brussels office of the German Federal Chamber of Notaries.

About the author

Dr Florian Kurze is a notary candidate in the district of the Saxony Chamber of Notaries and works as a legal advisor in the Brussels office of the German Federal Chamber of Notaries.