With the increased blending of the European economies the demand grew louder for European corporate forms to simplify cross border transactions. Three distinct and purely European corporate forms now exist as a result: The European Cooperative Society (SCE), the European Economic Interest Grouping (EEIG) and the European Company (SE). Even if constituting a relatively small percentage of all corporate forms in Europe they are a step towards a culture of European corporate forms.
The European Cooperative society (SCE)
With two legal instruments, a regulation and a directive the German legislator established in cooperatives law, a new supranational legal entity, the European Cooperative Society (SCE). The SCE will allow the cross border operation of the SCE in the European Union.
The European Economic Interest Group (EEIG)
The European Economic Interest Group (EEIG) differs from a company insofar as its purpose, consisting of the facilitating or developing of the economic activity of its members, in order to make their businesses more successful.
The Societas Europaea / European stock company (SE)
The Societas Europaea is a European stock company that may be created (in slightly varying forms) under the laws of each EU member state. The SE was created to facilitate the cross border operation of firms without the need to establish subsidiaries or branches.