The EU-INC campaign, supported by over 26,000 individuals including founders from Stripe, Mistral AI, Klarna, and Wise, has issued a public statement criticizing the dilution of the proposed EU Inc corporate framework. The initiative, originally introduced by the European Commission on 18 March 2026, aimed to create a unified legal structure to simplify cross-border operations and investment.
Initial proposals included digital company registration within 48 hours for a maximum cost of €100, no minimum share capital, and a harmonized employee stock option scheme with deferred taxation. However, ongoing negotiations have led to the removal of key elements, such as a central digital company register and potential restrictions on the stock option framework.
The Irish presidency of the Council of the EU proposed limiting the stock option scheme to companies with fewer than 1,000 employees and turnover below €450 million. Furthermore, discussions among EU ambassadors on 30 September failed to reach a consensus on taxation, while trade unions have expressed concerns regarding potential impacts on labor protections and collective bargaining.
European Commissioner Stéphane Séjourné warned against weakening the framework during a 24 September meeting. Despite the opposition and ongoing disputes, the European Commission maintains that the framework would not override national labor laws. EU institutions aim to reach a political agreement on the proposal before the end of 2026.
