European Parliament adopts recommendations for an EU-wide 28th regime and Unified European Company with EUR 1 capital and 48-hour digital registration

The European Parliament adopted recommendations to guide an upcoming European Commission proposal for a new EU-wide legal framework aimed at supporting innovative companies and facilitating cross-border expansion. The Parliament called for a single harmonised set of pan-European rules, referred to as the “28th regime”, that EU countries could implement either through a new corporate form or by integrating EU-wide rules into an existing form. A central element is a proposed Unified European Company (S.EU) for non-listed limited liability companies established in an EU member state. Registration would be fully digital and completed within 48 hours, with a minimum paid-in capital of EUR 1, supported by a Commission-operated uniform digital multilingual portal for interaction with authorities and investor information. The recommendations also cover easing access to investment including alternative financing models, optional protection schemes such as separating voting and economic rights and time- or amount-limited contractual profit distribution, measures to attract and retain talent through employee stock-ownership plans and stock options, improved cooperation between companies and research institutions to commercialise research, and access to specialised, accelerated dispute resolution that could be conducted in English. The Commission is expected by the Parliament to submit its legislative proposal in the first quarter of 2026.