Anyone wishing to install solar panels on their own roof should familiarise themselves with the legal framework at an early stage. When is it sufficient to simply notify the local council – and when is planning permission actually required?

First, Clarify: Is the Plot of Land Within the Building Zone?

As with any building project, the first step is to clarify whether the plot of land on which the solar installation is to be built is within or outside the building zone. This distinction is crucial, as stricter regulations apply outside building zones and a formal planning permission process is more often required.

Federal Law: When Solar Installations Are Exempt From Planning Permission

The key provisions at national level are set out in the Spatial Planning Act (RPG) and the Spatial Planning Ordinance (RPV). As a general rule, solar installations on roofs in building and agricultural zones do not require planning permission if they are sufficiently integrated into the surroundings. In such cases, a notification to the relevant authority is sufficient.

Article 32a of the Spatial Planning Ordinance (RPV) defines the conditions under which solar installations on roofs are considered ‘sufficiently integrated’ within the meaning of Article 18a of the Spatial Planning Act (RPG) and are therefore subject to notification but do not require planning permission. This is particularly the case where the installations protrude only slightly above the roof surface, do not extend beyond the roof surface when viewed from above, are designed to minimise reflection and are arranged compactly.

Solar installations on flat roofs are also considered sufficiently adapted if they protrude no more than one metre above the upper edge of the roof, are set back sufficiently from the roof edge so that they are not visible from below at a viewing angle of 45 degrees, and are also designed to minimise reflection in accordance with the state of the art.

Specific Provisions in the Canton of Lucerne

In addition to federal law, the Canton of Lucerne applies additional provisions set out in the Planning and Building Ordinance (PBV). In particular, the size of the installation is a decisive factor.

Solar installations with an area of less than 20 m² are, in principle, neither subject to notification nor requiring authorisation in building and agricultural zones, provided they are sufficiently adapted to the building envelope and the surrounding area. However, this does not apply in areas subject to townscape protection or in the case of listed buildings worthy of protection.

Systems with an area of more than 20 m² are subject to notification, provided the requirements under federal law are met. The notification must be submitted to the relevant local authority at least 20 days before work commences.

If the requirements under federal law are not met, or if there are conflicting public or private interests, a standard building permit procedure is required. Under certain conditions, however, the application may be assessed and approved via a simplified procedure.

Special Rules for Listed Buildings

If a building is listed or subject to townscape protection, stricter requirements apply. In such cases, a standard planning permission is usually required. The local planning authority will assess, in particular, whether the solar installation would adversely affect the appearance of the building or its surroundings, and will seek the approval of the cantonal heritage conservation authority. If the building or installation is located outside the building zone, approval from the Department of Spatial Planning and Economic Affairs is also required.

Should you have any questions regarding building law or planning permission procedures, the attorneys-at-law at Pilatushof AG will be happy to assist you.

Following the testator’s death, disputes may arise as to whether or not a legacy is to be paid out. In such cases, the legatee is faced with the question of how to enforce their claim to the legacy. For the heirs, on the other hand, the question arises as to whether, and to what extent, they can raise objections to the claimed legacy.

Definition

A legacy is a distinct form of disposition upon death. It exists where the testator bestows a financial benefit on a specific person without appointing them as an heir (Art. 484.1 of the Swiss Civil Code). The benefit conferred may take the form of any asset, such as a specific item or, as is often the case, a sum of money (Art. 484.2 of the Swiss Civil Code). Distinguishing between a legacy and the appointment of an heir is not always straightforward in individual cases, but it has significant legal consequences. In cases of doubt, it is therefore advisable to seek the opinion of a specialist.

Enforcement of a Legacy

It must also be possible to enforce a legacy. Particularly in the case of legacies of money or property, it is often the case that heirs do not fulfil their obligations voluntarily.

Legatees have only limited rights to information. As a rule, they receive only a notification regarding the legacy to which they are entitled – but not the entire will. They are not, in principle, entitled to any further information. If payment or handover is not made voluntarily, the legatee must take action themselves. A distinction must be made here between claims for money and claims for specific items: in the case of a claim for specific items, enforcement is usually achieved through a legacy action. In the case of a monetary bequest, debt recovery proceedings may also be initiated.

Ways in Which Heirs May Challenge a Bequest

Heirs may challenge a claim to a bequest in various ways. Firstly, they may seek to have the will declared invalid by bringing an action for annulment, for example on the grounds of lack of mental capacity, deception or duress, formal defects or impermissible content. In particularly serious cases, the will may even be void, meaning that it has no legal effect from the outset.

Secondly, heirs entitled to a compulsory share may bring an action for reduction to demand that a legacy be reduced if their compulsory share is infringed. In this case, the claim is reduced accordingly.

It is important to note that an action for annulment or reduction must be brought before the court within one year of becoming aware of the will and the grounds for its invalidity; otherwise, these rights are forfeited. To this end, an application for conciliation must be submitted to the competent authority. In any event, the right to bring an action for annulment or reduction lapses ten years after the date on which the will was opened.

Furthermore, the heirs may raise the objection that the legatee cannot derive any claim from the testator’s will on the grounds of unworthiness to inherit – for example, if the legatee influenced the testator through deception or threats to draw up or amend the will (see Art. 540.1 of the Swiss Civil Code).

Finally, a bequest is generally void if the bequeathed item no longer exists at the time of the testator’s death, for example because it has already been sold. In such a case, the bequest is generally deemed to have been revoked, and the heirs are not obliged to provide a replacement (Art. 484.3 of the Swiss Civil Code).

Conclusion

Enforcing a bequest is often more challenging than it first appears. Beneficiaries must actively pursue their claims, whilst heirs have various options for contesting them. To avoid disputes, it is crucial to set out clear and carefully considered provisions in the will.

Should you have any questions regarding inheritance law or require assistance in drafting a will, the attorneys-at-law and notaries at Pilatushof AG will be happy to assist you.

The Football Association (FA) has published its Governing Body Endorsement (GBE) criteria for the 2026/27 season, effective from 15 June 2026. There is more of an evolution than a revolution this year, the criteria is largely the same as last year, just with a bit more focus on compliance and the administration of the system.

A Quick Recap

A non-UK / Irish player needs a GBE before a club can assign a Certificate of Sponsorship and the player can work under the International Sportsperson route. There are four ways to secure one: an automatic pass based on international appearances measured against the player’s national team ranking; reaching 15 points under the points table; a referral to an Exceptions Panel; or, where the standard tests are not met, a GBE as an ESC player.

The ESC route was introduced to let clubs sign players who fall short of the standard criteria but are considered elite prospects, with each club holding a limited number of ESC places.

Lower Age Limit for ESC Players

For 2026/27, a player can only be granted a GBE as an ESC player if they were born on or after 1 January 2003, which is effectively an under-23 cohort.

The ESC allocations have remained the same for next season, so four places for Premier League and Championship clubs, and two places for League One & Two clubs. As ever, your English Qualified Player (EQP) minutes determine whether your allocation goes up or down, knowing this data is key to effective use of the ESC route. Clubs can earn up to two additional places (up to the above mentioned thresholds) by developing English-qualified players who win senior or under-21 international recognition.

Once signed, an ESC player can transition to a standard GBE through game time, and the required share of minutes now depends on age. In the Premier League, an under-21 player must play 25% of the club’s qualifying matches and 15% of available minutes, while a player aged 21 or over must reach 30% of minutes. The thresholds rise steeply lower down the pyramid, to between 50% and 70% in the EFL.

Reshuffled League Bandings

The GBE criteria groups domestic leagues into six bands, and the band a league sits in drives the points available for a player’s domestic league minutes, his last club’s final league position and the quality of his current club. The FA has reordered several leagues for 2026/27:

⟢ The Brazilian Série A moves up from Band 3 to Band 2.

⟢ The Turkish Süper Lig moves down from Band 2 to Band 3.

⟢ The Japanese J1 League moves up from Band 5 to Band 4.

⟢ The Slovenian PrvaLiga drops out of Band 5 and into Band 6.

The effect is that an identical playing record is now worth more or less depending on where it was earned. A player arriving from the Brazilian top flight will score better than he would have last season, while one coming from the Turkish top flight will score worse. Clubs scouting these markets should re-run the points calculation under the new bands before committing to a deal.

A New Paragraph 6 on Extensions and Transfers

The 2026/27 criteria insert a new paragraph 6 dealing with extensions and transfers of an existing GBE. An application to extend or transfer a GBE can now only be made under the same role under which the individual was originally endorsed. If the individual is moving into a different role, for example a development coach who becomes a first team coach, they must satisfy the full criteria for that role from scratch rather than carry across their existing endorsement. It removes any assumption that an endorsement travels with the individual regardless of how their role changes.

No Second Attempt Under Different Criteria After a Rejection

The FA has also closed off a route that some clubs had used to get a second bite. Previously, if a player was refused a GBE, the club could not reapply for that player in the same transfer window unless his circumstances changed. The new wording adds three important words, “under any GBE Criteria”, so a refusal now blocks any further application for that player in the window, including an attempt under a different set of criteria such as the ESC route. In other words, a club can no longer fail the standard test and then pivot to ESC for the same player mid-window. Getting the application right first time matters more than ever.

Costs and Next Steps

The administration fee remains £500 plus VAT per application, and an Exceptions Panel costs £5,000 plus VAT.

These changes are far from radical, however there are some procedural changes which could catch clubs out if they are not aware of the changes. Clubs should also remember the practical deadline: applications must reach the FA by midday on transfer deadline day to be processed that day, so leaving recruitment late carries real risk.

Boyes Turner immigration team advises clubs, players and agents on GBE applications and the International Sportsperson route. If you would like to discuss how the new criteria affect your plans, please get in touch.​​​​