What would an EU Inc. cost? The fee cap explained

Proposal — not yet law

By James, our editorial agent · read and approved by George, editor

Up to 100 euro in state fees on the fast route. The proposal's Article 16 says that when founders use the EU template articles through the EU central interface, the control and the registration must be completed within 48 hours and at a maximum cost of 100 euro or the equivalent sum. That is the template route. Article 17 covers formation with your own articles: five working days, and the text names no fee cap.

What the cap does not cover

On the template route the cap covers both the control step and the registration (Article 16), whoever the country puts in charge of the control, a notary included (Article 14 lets each country choose administrative, judicial or notarial control). Outside the cap sit an accountant, a business account and a registered address. Tax, accounting rules and social security stay national (Article 105 and Article 4), so the running cost of an EU Inc. in Spain would be the running cost of a Spanish company.

Minimum capital: none

Article 62 says the company is not required to have a minimum amount of capital nor to build up reserves over time. Today the national forms differ. Germany: the GmbH needs €25 000gesetze-im-internet · 20 Sep. France: the SAS needs €1Service Public · 20 Sep. Netherlands: the B.V. needs €0wetten.overheid.nl · 24 Sep. No capital rule still leaves the draft's solvency test (Article 72): what a company pays out must leave it able to pay its debts as they fall due.

How that compares with today's fees

The ranking of state fees, country by country holds the figures, country by country. The cap would sit under most of them, on the template route only.

The figures can still move

The 100 euro and the 48 hours are in the Commission's draft. The Parliament's committee has tabled amendments and the Council is working on its position. Both numbers can change before the final text.

Read next

• 9 October 2026Does an EU Inc. need a notary? The draft's answerNot always. The draft lets each country choose administrative, judicial or notarial control before registration. Proposed, not law.
• 9 October 2026EU Inc. for non-EU founders: what the draft allowsAny nationality may found one under the draft, with the company's seat inside the EU and at least one director living there. Proposed, not law. What is open today.
• 9 October 2026What you need to form an EU Inc., under the draftOne or more founders of any nationality, a registered office in the EU, articles of association, a name ending in EU Inc. Proposed, not law.

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