All member states continue to operate separate companies acts, which are amended from time to time to comply with EU Directives and Regulations.
There is, however, also the option of businesses to incorporate as a Societas Europaea (SE), which allows a company to operate across all member states.
A central aim restated in each Directive is to reduce the barriers to freedom of establishment of businesses in the European Union through a process of harmonising the basic laws.
The object is that when laws are harmonised, business will not be deterred by different or more onerous laws, but at the same time harmonisation provides a basic level of protection for investors in each member state, none of which are forced into regulatory competition.
Except for the EEIG which is an unlimited partnership, all of the following types have full EU/EEA-wide juridical personality.