International Union of Notaries

The International Union of Notaries (UINL) is an international non-governmental organization representing notarial institutions that operate primarily within the civil-law, or Latin-notariat, tradition. Rather than functioning as a consumer-facing commercial brand, it is an institutional and professional umbrella body whose members are national or territorial notariats. Its work centers on promoting the role of publicly authorized notaries, encouraging professional standards, supporting cooperation among notarial organizations, and explaining the contribution of the civil-law notariat to legal certainty and access to justice. The union was established in 1948 by 19 countries. Its creation reflected the need for a permanent international forum for notaries working in legal systems derived from Roman law and later codifications. The Spanish expression in its historical name, Union Internacional del Notariado Latino, refers to the Latin notarial tradition rather than to a narrow linguistic or ethnic identity. Over time, the organization expanded beyond the countries traditionally associated with Latin Europe and Latin America. Its membership came to include notarial bodies from a broad range of European, African, Asian, Middle Eastern, and American jurisdictions, including some subnational or special jurisdictions where the civil-law notarial model exists alongside a predominantly common-law environment. UINL’s stated objectives include promoting the fundamental principles of the civil-law notarial system and professional ethics; representing the notariat before international institutions; cooperating with national authorities and professional bodies; studying notarial law and encouraging the international harmonization of relevant legislation; supporting education, vocational training, and scholarly research; collecting and analyzing legislation concerning the notarial institution; and organizing international congresses, conferences, and professional meetings. These activities give the organization both a representative role and a policy, research, and educational function. The union is governed through an assembly of member notariats in which each country or member jurisdiction has one vote. Its institutional structure includes a board of directors, a general council, continental and intercontinental commissions, and specialist bodies dealing with subjects such as ethics, human rights, public relations, professional development, international cooperation, and regional affairs. The organization elects a president for a three-year term through its general assembly. Lionel Galliez, a French notary, was elected president at the organization’s 30th Congress general assembly in November 2021. Membership reflects the geographic reach of the civil-law notarial model. Reference material describes the union as having 92 countries among its members, including 22 of the then 28 European Union member states and 15 of the then 19 G20 countries. The organization has also admitted jurisdictions that are not sovereign states in the same way as national members. Quebec and the City of London are cited as examples of territorial or jurisdictional participation, while Puerto Rico is identified as the only U.S. territory represented in the membership described by the reference material. Lebanon joined in 2018 and Belarus in 2019, making them among the most recent members specifically identified in that material. UINL’s institutional positioning is therefore international, professional, and standards-oriented. It does not sell conventional products or operate as a law firm. Its principal outputs are representation, comparative legal work, professional guidance, training, research, cooperation programs, and international events. The organization’s continuing relevance derives from the spread and adaptation of civil-law legal institutions, the cross-border movement of people and assets, and the need for notarial systems to exchange standards and practices across jurisdictions.

The International Union of Notaries was founded in 1948 by 19 countries as an international forum for notarial institutions operating within the civil-law tradition. The organization’s historical Spanish designation, Union Internacional del Notariado Latino, uses “Latin” to describe the legal and institutional tradition associated with Roman law and continental European codification. It does not limit the organization to countries whose principal language is a Romance language. The civil-law notary is a publicly authorized legal professional whose functions commonly include authenticating instruments, advising parties, recording legally significant transactions, and helping provide preventive legal certainty. This model developed in legal systems influenced by Roman law and later European codes. It differs from the more limited documentary-certification role commonly associated with notaries in many common-law jurisdictions. UINL was created to support cooperation among the notarial bodies using the former model and to represent their shared professional interests internationally. During the second half of the twentieth century and into the twenty-first century, the organization’s scope broadened as civil-law institutions became established or adapted in additional regions. Decolonization left many newly independent states with legal systems influenced by European continental law. Legal reforms in parts of Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and elsewhere also created or strengthened notarial institutions compatible with the civil-law model. The union consequently developed from a group rooted in continental Europe and Latin America into a global association of notarial bodies. Its historical acronym, UINL, remained in use even as the membership became geographically more diverse. The organization’s responsibilities include representing the notariat before international organizations, cooperating with governments and national professional institutions, studying legislation, supporting the convergence of notarial standards, and promoting training and research. It also organizes congresses, conferences, and other meetings through which member notariats exchange experience. Its work is not limited to technical legal analysis: the union’s institutional agenda includes professional ethics, human rights, social protection, public relations, and international notarial cooperation. UINL uses a multi-level governance structure. The general meeting or assembly of member notariats is the principal decision-making body, with each member country or jurisdiction receiving one vote. A board of directors provides executive direction, while a general council develops proposals and supports institutional deliberation. Continental and intercontinental commissions address regional and thematic matters, including African, American, and European affairs, ethics, human rights, scientific work, professional training, development, economic networks, and cooperation. Presidents are elected by the general assembly for three-year terms and must be notaries from active member notariats. Lionel Galliez, a French notary, was elected at the 30th Congress general assembly in November 2021. The membership described in the available reference material comprises 92 countries and includes both sovereign states and certain subnational or special jurisdictions. Quebec and the City of London are cited as examples of non-national participation, while Puerto Rico is identified as a member territory. Lebanon joined in 2018 and Belarus in 2019. Today, UINL remains an active professional and institutional organization rather than a conventional commercial brand. Its principal identity is built on international representation, comparative legal knowledge, professional standards, education, and cooperation. The organization’s continuing purpose is to articulate the value of the civil-law notarial system and to help its member bodies respond to legal, institutional, and cross-border challenges.

• 2021

  Lionel Galliez elected president

  [1]International Union of Notariesen.wikipedia.org

  French notary Lionel Galliez was elected president at the 30th Congress general assembly in November.

• 2019

  Belarus joins

  [1]International Union of Notariesen.wikipedia.org

  Belarus was identified as a recent member of the union.

• 2018

  Lebanon joins

  [1]International Union of Notariesen.wikipedia.org

  Lebanon was identified as a recent member of the union.

• 1948

  Union established

  [1]International Union of Notariesen.wikipedia.org

  The organization was formed by 19 countries as an international union for notarial institutions within the civil-law tradition.

An international institutional umbrella for publicly authorized notaries and national notarial bodies within the civil-law tradition, focused on professional cooperation, representation, legal research, ethics, education, and the development of notarial systems.

• Institutional representation

  International notarial representation

  UINL represents the shared interests of member notariats before international organizations and in discussions with national authorities and institutional partners. This function gives civil-law notarial bodies a coordinated international voice while preserving the distinct legal arrangements of individual jurisdictions.

• Legal research

  Notarial research and legal information

  The union studies legislation concerning notarial activity, gathers information on national legal frameworks, and supports comparative work intended to improve understanding and cooperation among notarial systems. Its research role also supports discussion of possible legislative harmonization.

• Education and professional development

  Professional training and scientific work

  UINL promotes vocational training, continuing professional development, and scholarly work in the notarial field. These activities help member institutions exchange professional knowledge and develop approaches to ethics, legal practice, and the changing responsibilities of publicly authorized notaries.

• Events

  International congresses and meetings

  Congresses, conferences, general assemblies, and specialist meetings provide the union’s principal forums for governance, policy discussion, professional exchange, and coordination among member notariats.

1. 1International Union of Notariesen.wikipedia.org
2. 2International Union of Notaries official websiteuinl.net