Private Foundations as an Element of the Liberalization of Polish Inheritance Rules. Remarks on the Basis of Legislation of the Republic of Austria and the Principality of Liechtenstein

Abstract

No regulation in the Polish legal order makes it possible to accumulate different kinds of assets for succession planning purposes in a comprehensive and safe way. Polish inheritance rules provide its citizens with the possibility to distribute assets in the case of death rather than establishing a base for effective succession and the protection of family interests. These circumstances, together with geographical proximity of countries with jurisdictions, that have adopted institutions which make it possible to accumulate assets for succession purposes, encourage Polish citizens to transfer capital abroad and to establish foreign vehicles , in order to create effective succession planning structures. This effect is even more visible in the era of existing the freedoms of the European Union and European Economic Area, digitalization and globalization. This state causes losses for the Polish economy. In the Article, the Author presents the essence of introducing private foundations into the succession planning structures, drafts private foundations rules in the Republic of Austria and the Principality of Liechtenstein, and formulates de lege ferenda proposals for the Polish legislature. The Author stresses, based on the example of the Republic of Austria, that if private foundations were introduced into the Polish domestic legal order, not only would an outflow of the capital from Poland be stopped, but also the inverted trend could be observed.