EU Inc.: Starting a Business in Just 48 Hours for Under 100€!

"With EU Inc., it will be much easier to start and expand a business throughout Europe" — Ursula von der Leyen

 

Can you imagine launching your own company anywhere in Europe, entirely online, for less than the price of your favourite pop star concert ticket — and in just two days? That’s exactly what the European Commission (EC) wants to make possible with its new proposal: the “EU Inc.”, also known as the “28th regime”. This initiative is a single business model for the entire European Union (EU). If adopted, it could be a game-changer for new entrepreneurs, students, and anyone dreaming of starting a business that goes beyond borders.

For a project like Euro4VET, with its core on European citizenship, it is of utmost importance to bring European entrepreneurship to its teachers and students.

 

Unveiled in Brussels on March 2026, the proposal comes with a big promise: starting and registering your company in 48 hours, for under €100, and without any requirement for minimum share capital. In other words, it could soon be as easy to open a company that operates across all 27 EU countries as it is to set up one in your city.

 

This idea is quite disruptive, as, right now, entrepreneurs who want to expand their businesses across the EU face a complex maze — 27 national legal systems, dozens of bureaucratic forms, and more than 60 different company types. Each country has its own rules, fees, and online platforms for business registration, which means launching an international startup often takes more time and much more money than it should.

 

The “EU Inc.” would change that by offering a single European legal form, recognised by all EU Member States. Once registered digitally under this new regime, your business would automatically be valid across the EU — from Lisbon to Helsinki, Madrid to Ankara via Skopje.

 

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen summed up the idea perfectly when she said: “With the EU Inc. it will be much easier to start and grow a business across Europe.” For many young people, that could mean fewer administrative headaches and more time to focus on creativity, innovation, and running the kind of business they really care about.

 

Entrepreneurs know that paperwork can be a nightmare. Setting up a company often involves days (or even weeks) of waiting and paying hundreds of euros in fees. Let’s see how it goes in our project’s five partner countries.

 

In Finland, although the system is completely digital, starting a private limited company still costs between 300€ and 400€ and can take several days.

In North Macedonia you can complete the setting up in about 4 hours, though in practice it is usually 2–3 business days, and electronic submission is available and is generally faster than paper filing. The costs vary depending on the type of company, from 32€ to 160€.

In Portugal, it takes around 1 hour online for incorporation, or about 7 working days in some non-online processes, costing 220€ with pre-approved articles, or 360€ with customized ones.

In Spain, it is typically 7 to 10 business days for a standard company, when using the streamlined online route, but a notary signature is still required, so it is digital-assisted rather than fully paperless. You would spend roughly 250€ to 450€, excluding share capital for a self-managed setup, while professional packages often start around 500€ to 1.500€.

Finally, in Türkiye it takes about 3 to 4 weeks end-to-end, though some official registration steps can finish in 5 to 10 business days. It can be handled through an online system, but notary and document formalities still remain. You will need to spend around 145€ to 194€ for registry filing, plus 194€ to 242€ for legal/notary fees.

 

Therefore, the “EU Inc.” proposal aims to create a common European standard that’s faster and cheaper than any existing national system — a big step toward a more competitive Europe. It’s especially designed for startups, small businesses, and innovators who want to scale their ideas across the single market without getting stuck in red tape.

 

It should be noted, though, that the “EU Inc.” won’t replace the national forms of business registration. Instead, it will offer an optional European model. This means entrepreneurs could choose whether they want to operate under the new EU-wide “corporate regime” or keep using their national systems.

 

To make this new model efficient and transparent, the proposal also includes the creation of a central EU registry, where all companies established under “EU Inc.” will be listed. This will make it easier to find information about businesses, increase trust between partners, and reinforce transparency within the single market.

 

For the plan to become reality, the “EU Inc.” still has to go through the ordinary legislative procedure — meaning both the European Parliament and the Council of the EU must approve it. Negotiations haven’t started yet, but the proposal fits perfectly within the broader push to boost Europe’s competitiveness, especially after the Draghi Report highlighted how the EU needs to modernise and make its market more dynamic (for more information concerning the report, please read the article “The future of European competitiveness – A competitiveness strategy for Europe”, also available in the ”Publications” section of the “Results” menu of our project website.

 

Once voted through, “EU Inc.” could help thousands of young entrepreneurs who are dreaming of opening a digital marketing agency, an online store, or even a green tech startup that operates across Europe. For students in vocational education and training (VET), it’s a practical step towards understanding how EU policies directly support business creation and digital entrepreneurship. It’s about making opportunities real — for you and your generation. If you’re studying business, IT, tourism, or any vocational field, imagine being able to turn your final project or your school-level startup idea into a real European enterprise, without the usual financial or bureaucratic obstacles.

 

By cutting costs and simplifying registration, “EU Inc.” empowers young people to think bigger, to collaborate with peers across Europe, and to launch ideas that are already ready to scale internationally. It’s about giving Europe’s future innovators the tools to compete with entrepreneurs in places like the United States or China — and proving that Europe is serious about backing its startups.

 

So, next time you’re thinking about creating your own company or joining a youth entrepreneurship programme, remember this name: EU Inc. It could soon be your passport to building something that truly goes European — in just 48 hours and for under 100€.