If it considered as a single state, the economy of the European Union's (EU) twenty-seven member states is currently the world's largest economy. According to the World Bank, the EU's member states account for 30.3% of the world's total GDP in 2005.  As such, the EU can be an excellent place for American businesses to establish a presence.

To foster the economic growth of the EU, the Council Regulation on the Statute for a European Company of the European Union was adopted in 2001. This allows companies incorporated in different EU member states to merge or form a holding company or joint subsidiary, while avoiding the legal and practical constraints arising from the existence of different legal systems.  It contains rules for European Public Companies known as a Societas Europaea (SE) (Latin for "European Companies"). There is also a statute allowing European Cooperative Societies (Societas Cooperativa Europaea, SCE). An SE can be registered in any member state of the European Union, and the registration can be easily transferred to another member state. There is no EU-wide register of SEs (an SE is registered on the national register of the member state in which it has its head office), but each registration is to be published in the Official Journal of the European Union.

The member states of the European Union have widely different company laws. This means that companies have to comply with many different regulatory systems, and merger of companies from different states is often complex and difficult.  SEs can be created by: (1) merger of national companies from different member states; (2) creation of a joint venture between companies (or other entities) in different member states; (3) creation of a SE subsidiary of a national company; or (4) conversion of a national company into an SE.

How We Serve Our Clients

With our associated European legal counsel, you will be guided you through the process of forming a business in the European Union which includes assisting you in choosing the appropriate legal structure and explaining the advantages of each for your particular enterprise.  After the business is established, our associated counsel will be at your disposal to answer general legal questions when they arise.  Our clients also call on us to assist them during transitional periods, raising capital, locating venture partners, merging, selling, and closing a business.