The EU Inc. (European Incorporated Company) is a new pan-European company form proposed by the European Commission under Regulation COM(2026) 320. It allows entrepreneurs to incorporate a company valid across all 27 EU member states, entirely online, in 48 hours, for under €100.

When will the EU Inc. be available?

The regulation was proposed on March 18, 2026. It is currently being reviewed by the European Parliament and Council. Final adoption is expected in 2027, with the first EU Inc. companies possible by 2028.

How much does it cost to create an EU Inc.?

The maximum registration fee is capped at €100, with zero minimum capital requirement. This makes it the most affordable company form in Europe and possibly the world.

Is the EU Inc. valid in all EU countries?

Yes. Once registered, an EU Inc. is automatically recognized in all 27 EU member states without any need for re-registration or additional procedures.

Do I need a notary to create an EU Inc.?

No. The entire process is digital. Identity verification is done online, replacing traditional notarization. You can incorporate from anywhere with an internet connection.

What is Regulation COM(2026) 320?

COM(2026) 320 is the official reference number for the European Commission's legislative proposal establishing the EU Inc. company form. It was published on March 18, 2026.

EU Inc for Tech Startups: Building SaaS Companies Across Europe

A Corporate Structure Built for the Digital Age

If you're building a SaaS company in Europe, you've likely faced a frustrating paradox: the software you create works seamlessly across borders, but the company behind it is trapped within national boundaries. The EU Inc proposal aims to resolve this fundamental disconnect by creating a digital-native corporate form specifically designed for companies that operate across the entire European market.

The European Commission's proposal, building on recommendations from the Letta Report on the Single Market, recognizes that tech startups are inherently cross-border from day one. A SaaS product launched in Tallinn immediately serves customers in Munich, Paris, and Madrid. The corporate structure should reflect this reality.

Why Current Structures Fail Tech Startups

European SaaS founders currently face a series of structural disadvantages compared to their American counterparts:

Fragmented incorporation: A Delaware C-Corp serves as the universal standard in the US. Europe has 27 different corporate forms with varying rules, costs, and investor familiarity.
Expansion friction: Opening operations in a new EU country often requires establishing a local entity, registering with local authorities, and duplicating compliance efforts.
Investor confusion: US VCs investing in European startups often struggle with unfamiliar corporate structures, leading to costly restructuring (the infamous "Delaware flip").
Equity complications: Stock option plans must be tailored to each country's regulations, making it expensive to build distributed teams.

"European founders spend 3-6 months and €15,000-50,000 on legal restructuring before their Series A — time and money that should go toward building product." — Atomico State of European Tech Report

How EU Inc Solves the SaaS Scale Problem

Single Registration, Pan-European Operations

The EU Inc allows a SaaS company to register once and operate across all 27 member states without establishing separate entities. This means a company registered as an EU Inc in Estonia can hire employees in Germany, open a sales office in France, and serve enterprise customers in Italy — all through a single legal structure.

VC-Compatible by Design

The EU Inc's governance structure is explicitly designed to be compatible with standard venture capital practices:

Authorized share capital: The ability to issue new shares without shareholder meetings, subject to pre-agreed limits — essential for SAFE notes and convertible instruments.
Share classes: Native support for preferred shares, liquidation preferences, anti-dilution provisions, and other standard VC terms.
Board structure: Flexible governance allowing investor board seats, observer rights, and protective provisions.
Information rights: Standardized reporting obligations that align with institutional investor expectations.

This eliminates the need for the "Delaware flip" — the costly process of restructuring a European company under US corporate law to satisfy American investors. An EU Inc would be natively investor-friendly while remaining European.

The EU-ESOP Advantage for Tech Teams

For SaaS companies, talent is everything. The EU-ESOP (EU Employee Stock Option Plan), integrated into the EU Inc framework, allows companies to offer standardized equity compensation across all member states. A senior engineer in Warsaw and a product manager in Barcelona receive stock options under identical terms with identical tax treatment.

This is transformative for remote-first SaaS companies that hire the best talent regardless of location. Currently, structuring equity compensation for a distributed European team can cost €20,000-50,000 in legal fees alone. The EU-ESOP reduces this to near zero.

Building a SaaS Company with EU Inc: A Playbook

Here's how a typical SaaS startup journey would look under the EU Inc framework:

Phase 1: Formation

Register your EU Inc online in approximately 3 business days for around €100. Choose your registered office based on your preferences (Estonia for digital infrastructure, Ireland for the English-speaking tech ecosystem, the Netherlands for IP-friendly regimes). Your company is immediately recognized across all member states.

Phase 2: Building

Hire your founding team across multiple countries using the EU-ESOP for equity compensation. Open a bank account instantly through the European Business Wallet. Set up your operations without establishing local entities in each country where team members are based.

Phase 3: Fundraising

Approach investors — European or American — with a corporate structure they understand. Issue SAFE notes or convertible instruments using standardized EU Inc provisions. Complete your funding round without restructuring your company.

Phase 4: Scaling

Expand sales across Europe through your single EU Inc entity. Hire local sales teams, establish customer support in multiple languages, and serve enterprise clients who can instantly verify your company's credentials through the Business Wallet.

The Competitive Edge Against the US

The EU Inc addresses several specific advantages that US-incorporated companies currently enjoy:

Speed of formation: Delaware incorporation takes 24 hours; EU Inc targets 3 business days — far better than the current European average of 2-8 weeks.
Cost of formation: Delaware costs approximately $500; EU Inc approximately €100 — undercutting even the US on price.
Market access: A Delaware C-Corp serves 330 million consumers in one market; an EU Inc serves 450 million consumers across 27 countries with a single registration.
Regulatory clarity: GDPR, AI Act, Digital Services Act — all applicable uniformly to an EU Inc operating across the single market.

What SaaS Founders Are Saying

The European startup community has responded enthusiastically. Organizations like Sifted, Tech.eu, and the European Startup Network have endorsed the proposal, while calling for rapid implementation.

Key concerns remain around implementation timeline (startups need this now, not in three years) and the quality of digital infrastructure (the online registration system must work flawlessly from day one). But the consensus is clear: the EU Inc represents the most significant improvement to Europe's startup infrastructure in decades.

For SaaS founders building the next generation of European technology companies, the EU Inc is not just a corporate form — it's the foundation for a truly European startup ecosystem.