On 18 March 2026, the Commission presented EU Inc., a proposal for a new single set of corporate rules that will be the same and apply across the EU, dubbed as “the 28^th regime“ (“Proposal“) The Proposal is make it easier for businesses to start, operate and grow across the EU via a single entity in a special legal form (“EU Inc.“). Its optional, fully digital procedures aims to enable innovative companies to scale up and incentivise them to stay in Europe and encourage those who once looked elsewhere to return. EU Inc. is part of the new broader 28^th regime that offers businesses the chance to seize the benefits of the single market. The Proposal is available at this link.

Currently, entrepreneurs and innovative companies face a fragmented corporate legal landscape. With 27 national legal systems and more than 60 company legal forms in place, it can take a company weeks or even months to set up, slowing growth and raising costs. EU Inc.’s single harmonised set of corporate rules would mean that companies no longer need to navigate multiple national regimes, unlocking the true potential of the single market, and driving growth and increased competitiveness.

The main characteristics of the Proposal are as follows:

• Faster registration and simpler procedures: founding a company in the legal form of EU Inc. Company within 48 hours, for less than EUR 100 and with no minimum share capital requirements and by only submitting their company information once, via an EU-level interface;
• Fully digital operations throughout a company’s lifecycle;
• Helping founders restart faster and cheaper: simplified liquidation procedures, enabling founders to test out innovative ideas and start again if needed;
• Better conditions to attract investment: by removing in-person formalities, providing digital procedures for financing operations, and simplifying the transfer of shares with possibilities to access the stock Exchange;
• Full access to the single market: by freely choosing the EU country in which they incorporate; a

Strong safeguards against abuse: national employment and social laws are not affected by the Proposal, whereas theThe applicable safeguards of the EU country of registration will apply in full to the company in the legal formo f EU Inc.

In addition, the Commission has adopted a Communication outlining the ongoing and future initiatives to complete the 28th regime in other policy areas. Among other measures, it proposes maximum digitalisation of interactions between companies and public authorities and calls on EU countries to consider setting up specialised judicial chambers or courts with the authority to handle disputes on EU Inc. company law.

Given its key importance for the EU’s competitiveness, the Commission has called calling on the European Parliament and the Council to reach an agreement on the Proposal by the end of 2026 at the latest.