## EU Inc is born: the European answer for startups Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, announced at the World Economic Forum in Davos the creation of 'EU Inc', a new company structure designed for startups operating at the European level. This initiative, called the '28th regime', will be added to the existing national structures, without replacing them. EU Inc stems from a proposal supported by over 22,000 signatories, including founders, investors and members of the European startup community. The goal is to create a pan-European legal entity that simplifies cross-border operations and fosters the growth of startups. ## What does EU Inc include? The new structure will offer: * A unified legal entity at EU level, simplifying incorporation procedures and cross-border operations. * A central EU registry, with fully digital onboarding and available in English. * Standardized investment documentation, to facilitate pan-European funding. * A stock option framework valid throughout Europe, to incentivize employees. According to Tom Henriksson, General Partner at OpenOcean, if implemented correctly, EU Inc could finally put European startups on an equal footing with international competitors, drastically reducing the time and bureaucratic complexities associated with expanding into other member countries. However, Henriksson warns that the success of the initiative will depend on the adherence of the member states and the formulation of the rules, to prevent it from turning into a further layer of bureaucracy.