Answering key questions on expatriate living
Family law, matrimonial property regimes, assets, real estate, tax... when you make the move to live abroad, all of these and more may be very different. So gathering as much information as possible before you leave is crucial, but that task is made easier by ‘S'expatrier mode d'emploi’, the only expatriation show organised by those institutions directly involved in expatriation and international mobility, which include the Superior Council of Notaries.
On 26 March this year, six notaries made themselves available to answer the many questions asked by potential expatriates at this one-day event hosted at the Cité internationale universitaire de Paris, and provide a broad range of explanatory information at three conference sessions.
The involvement of French Notaries at this event once again underlines their commitment to supporting expatriates. French Notaries are always ready to help explain and anticipate the legal and tax issues that can sometimes accompany expatriate living: regular free information sessions are hosted for fellow citizens living in many countries around the world and held in conjunction with local French Consulates, and media partnerships are in place for channelling information to French nationals living abroad.
The 17th Conference of African Ambassadors
The continent of Africa has experienced an abysmal shortfall in annual investment year on year for a decade. Meeting to consider potential options for reversing this situation, a number of experts, including Rémi Rioux, Chief Executive Officer of the French Development Agency, discussed ‘The New Challenges of Financing Africa’ on 19 March 2025 at the Conseil Supérieur du Notariat alongside the 17th Paris Conference of African Ambassadors, hosted by Africa Press. Discussions ranged from infrastructure to business, health, climate and more... All the challenges of the future, in fact.
This conference also underlines the commitment of the French notariat to promoting cooperation between countries in the French-speaking world, and especially with African members of the Association du Notariat Francophone (ANF). It also highlights its commitment to the perpetuation and promotion of the French language, in which the continent of Africa has a major role to play: 18 of the 28 ANF members are African notariats.
Helping French residents of the Balearic Islands
Which matrimonial property regime applies to French residents of the Balearic Islands? And what are its consequences of expatriation on their estate in terms of inheritance? These and many other questions were answered by three representatives of the Superior Council of Notaries on 7 March at the Lycée Français International in Palma de Mallorca during the meeting hosted in partnership with the Consulate General of France in Barcelona, and opened by Samantha Cazebonne, Senator for French residents overseas. French nationals living in Mallorca, Minorca and Ibiza were able to use videoconferencing to access valuable advice from French notaries and gain a clearer understanding of the legal challenges they may face while living abroad. These notarial meetings have been hugely successful ever since they were introduced in 2009, with more than 100 already hosted in around
30 countries. And there is no lack of requests for more from French Consulates around the world...
Constructive discussions with Austria, Belgium and Spain
The winter has been a very productive period for French Notaries and their Austrian, Belgian and Spanish counterparts. The bilateral meetings hosted in Paris gave notaries from all three countries the opportunity to get together, compare perspectives and take inspiration from each other. The Austrian notariat, currently represented on the Board of the Council of Notariats of the European Union (CNUE), sought the opinion of the Superior Council of Notaries on current European issues, given its long experience as a CNUE board member. French Notaries were delighted to welcome Concepción Pilar Barrio Del Olmo, who was elected last November as the new President of Spain’s Notarial Council, and to discuss with her two challenges shared by both notariats: digital technology and money laundering. More technical issues around governance of the profession, digital strategy and communication were discussed at the meeting between staff members of the two national notarial councils and the Fédération Royale du Notariat de Belgique. All those present enjoyed the opportunity to take away new ideas for future action.
Live with Dritan Tola, Albanian Ambassador to France
“Notarial deeds are integral to ensuring legal certainty and, from our perspective, are priority goals for strengthening the rule of law in the wider sense.”
To mark the signature of a cooperation agreement between the French and Albanian notariats, Dritan Tola, the Albanian Ambassador to France, talks about this cooperation and its importance to his country’s accession to the European Union.
27 January this year saw the signature of a cooperation agreement by the French and Albanian notariats. Could you please begin by outlining the Franco-Albanian relationship, and how this new agreement fits into that?
This agreement between the Albanian and French notariats focuses mainly on bilateral notarial cooperation. The joint work done over the past
two years has delivered extremely positive progress with a large number of cooperation projects and a much stronger relationship, not only politically, but also economically, culturally, in defence and across the French-speaking world. The relationship between Albania and France is a very long one, but it has gained new momentum with historic visits, such as the one made by President Macron to Albania in October 2023, and the return visit of the Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama to Paris in April 2024. The cooperation agreement between our two notarial chambers is also an integral part of this new era of bilateral cooperation, with its particular emphasis on the need to prioritise innovation.
“Notarial deeds are integral to ensuring legal certainty and, from our perspective, are priority goals for strengthening the rule of law in the wider sense.”
What are you currently working on in relation to the recent agreement?
This agreement reflects the relationship between our two notarial chambers and marks a new stage in our cooperation by addressing more practical issues, such as exchanging information and digital expertise. Innovation, particularly in digital archiving, is a priority for us. We, as an Albanian institution, want to be able to digitise paper printed deeds and all notarial deeds in Albania. The aim of this agreement is to set up a mechanism for exchanging information and legal experience between our two institutions. The Superior Council of French Notaries and the Albanian Chamber of Notaries are considering - with help from a French company - the implementation of a specific project to digitise not only notarial deeds, but also property documents.
How do you see the notariat contributing to Albania’s full membership of the European Union?
Exchanging information and legal experience is an important part not only of combatting money laundering and the financing of terrorism, but also in the more general context of Albania's efforts to achieve European integration and full membership of the European Union.
Notarial deeds play an important role in ensuring legal certainty in our country. For Albania, this is an extremely important objective in the broader context of strengthening the rule of law. So we very much hope to develop the project to digitise notarial deeds to provide greater guarantees of legal certainty for private individuals and institutions in respect of all property transactions concluded in Albania. We are really delighted with this cooperation between our two notarial institutions. I was there myself at the signature of the agreement by the Presidents of both institutions: the President of the Superior Council of French Notaries Maître Savouré, and the President of the Albanian Chamber of Notaries Mimoza Sadushaj. We’ll now be working to move cooperation forward through practical projects that could be funded and supported by our two states, our two governments, and which will be integral to this new and dynamic relationship between our two countries.
French schools abroad :a level of excellence recognised in Paris
On 13 March, the Grand Amphitheatre of the Sorbonne in Paris hosted the first Palmes de l'Enseignement Français à l'Étranger (EFE) awards, the first-ever event to celebrate the excellence and commitment of those involved in the global French language education network partnered by the Superior Council of French Notaries. The patron of the event was no less than the French President, and the ceremony showcased some of the remarkable initiatives undertaken by French schools abroad.
Paying tribute to initiatives that lead by example
The Palmes de l'Enseignement Français à l'Etranger were created to reward and promote innovative projects and initiatives undertaken by French schools abroad. “Those of us who live in other countries often get the impression that we're being observed from afar, and that we don't always receive recognition for the work being done by so many people, but actually what they are doing is impressive. So the idea of these awards was to pay tribute to this network and all those who give their commitment to promoting France beyond our borders”, explains Samantha Cazebonne, Senator for French residents overseas and the driving force behind EFE Awards.
The essential role played by French notaries in assisting expatriates
For the Superior Council of French Notaries, partnering this event is perfectly logical when you consider the involvement French notaries have in the daily lives of expatriates. The CSN assists French nationals living abroad with a broad range of legal issues, mainly by offering free advice at open events hosted in French consulates. “We have a dedicated team that regularly visits foreign delegations and consulates and gives legal advice to French nationals living abroad”, explains Frédéric Varin, Notary and Head of the CSN Expatriate Unit.
A natural collaboration for French notaries
French schools abroad play an essential role in making local communities aware of the local presence of notaries and the services they can provide. As CSN Vice-President Pierre-Jean Meyssan emphasises, “schools often provide an important channel for flagging up the presence of French notaries in consulates. So it was only natural that we should partner the Palmes des Établissements Français de l'Etranger”. Samantha Cazebonne also welcomes this synergy: “The notaries I've had the good fortune to meet on my visits to consulates have legal expertise that can be extremely useful, not only for school leaders, but for parents too.” This collaboration evidences the commitment notaries have to supporting French communities abroad and contributing to their legal and social wellbeing.