Insights
The EU Wants to Make Company Formation Easier
The European Commission just proposed something genuinely meaningful for anyone who has ever tried to expand a business across EU borders.
EU Inc. is a proposed new optional corporate framework that is intended to allow entrepreneurs to register a company anywhere in the EU within 48 hours, for less than €100, fully online and under a single harmonised set of rules. No minimum share capital. No navigating 27 different national legal systems. No resubmitting the same paperwork to multiple authorities.
The Commission is pushing for the European Parliament and Council to agree on the proposal by end of 2026.
For international companies and founders who have long been frustrated by European corporate complexity, this is a meaningful step in the right direction.
That said, a few things worth keeping in mind right now.
EU Inc. is still a proposal. Even if agreed by end of 2026, implementation across all member states will take time. German company law, BaFin requirements, and all local compliance obligations continue to apply in full to any entity operating in Germany today.
And even once EU Inc. becomes reality, operating in Germany will still require local expertise. A registered address. Managing directors who understand German regulatory obligations. Payroll, accounting and tax compliance under German law. AML and data protection requirements that remain national in their enforcement.
The framework for forming a company may get simpler. The reality of running one in Germany will not change overnight.
We welcome EU Inc. as a step forward for European competitiveness. In the meantime, we are here to make the current system as straightforward as possible for our clients.