EPC statute discussion at the Competitiveness Council meeting on 3-4 December 2009

Orgalime urges member states to reach an agreement on the European Private Company Statute (EPC) during the Competitiveness Council meeting on 3 and 4 December 2009. The EPC Statute was proposed as part of the Small Business Act for Europe in June last year and was in general welcomed by member states.

We believe that such a statute would represent a significant simplification of the EU regulatory environment, since the establishment of subsidiaries in EU member states still entails serious difficulties.  Due to 27 very different national systems of company law and lack of transparency regarding liability issues or other obligations, extensive legal advice is needed with respect to the requirements for setting up a company. 

Our industry would therefore consider it as a major advantage and simplification of the regulatory framework if companies, especially SMEs, no longer had to deal with different company law systems, thereby facilitating their growth in the internal market.

Orgalime and its members have been promoting in various position papers the necessity and the advantages of an EPC.