Commission to propose EU Inc company regime for direct application in national law

The European Commission will, on 18/03/2026, present a proposal for a 28^th regime, called EU Inc., to allow innovative companies to set up within 48 hours and operate throughout the EU regardless of where they are registered.

The proposal is in the form of a Regulation, which means it will apply directly in national laws of each of the 27 member states and does not need to go through lengthy national transposition procedures. It also means that the provisions of the Regulation will be the same in all member states.

The proposal for a 28^th regime (i.e. additional to the 27 existing company regimes in each member state) is part of the EU’s drive to boost competitiveness. Creating a single rulebook for companies was one of the measures identified by former central banker Mario Draghi in his 2024 report on competitiveness.

The Commission’s proposal says that the existing 27 “distinct rules, procedures and national legal forms” create a “fragmented and complicated corporate landscape, resulting in legal uncertainty and costs for founders, companies as well as EU and third country…