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EU Unveils 'EU Inc' to Let Startups Register Across Bloc in 48 Hours

Brussels targets fragmentation to keep innovators in Europe through an optional single‑market company form.

Overview

  • Companies could register fully online within 48 hours for a maximum fee of €100 with no minimum capital requirement.
  • EU Inc offers harmonised corporate rules for eligible firms, including standardised employee stock‑option schemes and simplified, largely digital insolvency procedures.
  • The regime is voluntary and does not override national labour law, with firms required to follow the rules of the country where they are headquartered.
  • Trade unions warn of risks to worker protections and potential wage substitution via stock options, while an industry group criticises reliance on national courts and urges a central dispute mechanism.
  • The proposal now enters negotiations with EU governments and the European Parliament, with the Commission forecasting roughly 300,000 firms using the framework over ten years.