This concise article-by-article commentary discusses all the crucial points of the new EU Regulation No. 650/2012 of 4 July 2012 on cross-border estates, with particular focus on the following issues: - the law applicable to a succession being the law of the State in which the deceased had his habitual residence at the time of death, which is also relevant for jurisdiction for contentious succession matters, - election as to the applicable law, - recognition and enforcement, - authentic instruments, - the European Certificate of Succession. This book turns the Regulation into an easily understandable text for all users, practitioners, academics or students and – authored by members of the experts group that formulated the Commission’s draft proposal from six European countries – reflects perspectives from differing legal systems