The Trust Experience in San Marino Between Ius Commune and International Models

San Marino trust law is embedded in a consolidated civil law tradition stretching back to the ius commune system of fiduciary instruments, thereby making it possible to trace, to a large extent, an itinerary related to common law trusts, and to challenge unwarranted allegations (now, fortunately, fading away) that trusts cannot be transplanted into civil law countries. San Marino has not confined itself to imitating other offshore legislation, but has drawn up a unique trust system reconciling the typical features of international models – thus embarking on the race to attract the trust business within its borders – with the peculiarities of its own system of sources. Hovering between the principles of confidence and patrimonial separation, the international models and ius commune, San Marino trust law proves to be the perfect combination of innovation and tradition, and longs to become a benchmark for the regulation of trusts established in civil law jurisdictions.