The EU Council's Working Party on Company Law is scheduled to meet on 23 July 2026 at 10:00 in Brussels to examine the Presidency compromise text on the Commission's proposal for a 28th Regime Corporate Legal Framework (EU INC). The meeting, to be held in the Justus Lipsius building in a 2+2 format, will focus on document ST 11829/26, which represents the Presidency's attempt to broker agreement among member states on the draft legislation.
The agenda includes approval of the meeting agenda, examination of the compromise text, and any other business. The Commission's original proposal (Doc. 7498/26 + ADD 1-6) was tabled earlier this year, aiming to create a harmonised corporate legal framework for a European Incorporated Company (EU INC) as a 28th regime alongside national company forms. The Working Party's discussion on 23 July marks a key step in the legislative process, as member state experts seek to reconcile divergent national positions on issues such as capital requirements, worker participation, and cross-border mobility.
The compromise text is expected to address concerns raised by several member states during earlier technical discussions, particularly regarding the balance between flexibility and harmonisation. The meeting will be followed by further negotiations at the Council level, with the aim of reaching a general approach later in 2026. The European Parliament has yet to adopt its position on the proposal, which will be subject to the ordinary legislative procedure.
Stakeholders impacted include EU businesses, which would gain access to a new pan-European corporate form potentially reducing administrative costs for cross-border operations; national authorities, which would need to adapt their company registries and oversight mechanisms; legal professionals and corporate service providers, who would face new compliance requirements; and employee representatives, who have raised concerns about worker participation rights under the proposed framework. The compromise text seeks to balance the goal of fostering a single market for companies with the protection of stakeholder interests, though trade-offs remain on the degree of regulatory convergence versus national discretion.