A donation agreement is regulated by the Civil Code as a bilateral legal transaction, on the basis of which the donor, in the burden of his property, transfers the property or other right, or otherwise enriches the donee and the donee declares that he agrees. On the basis of a donation agreement, unilaterally binding obligatory relationship is created, since the donor acts only as a debtor, and the donee only as a creditor. A donation agreement is the most important non-payment act, since its rules apply to all non-payment legal relationships that are not specifically regulated. The lack of payment is that the donor does not receive anything in return for a gift, and the donee is enriched and does not need to do anything in return.
The concept of a gift is also defined in the Law of Succession, in order to determine the calculated value of the legacy. In comparison with the Civil Code, the gift is defined even wider in this case, because the Law of succession determines as a gift also what the decedent has given to his heir to increase his hereditary share , or for the establishment or extension of his household or, for pursuing a profession. This is necessary for the protection of forced heirs and for ensuring the equal position of legal heirs in relation to the decedent.
A donation agreement is, in principle, irrevocable, but certain exceptions apply. The Civil Code gives the donor three options to revoke the gift. Those are the donor's distress, the severe ingratitude of the donee and the birth of the first child of the donor. A donation agreement can also be revoked due to divorce. In addition, creditors may dispute the gifts of their debtor if they are harmed thereby. A donation agreement is also limited by the Law of Succession, which gives the heirs the possibility of challenging gifts due to the deprivation of a compulsory portion, as well as the institute of collation, which is inclusion of gifts in the hereditary share.
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