EU consultation on cross border mobility

The EU Commission has launched an online consultation seeking views on the issues involved in cross border mergers, divisions and conversions and the use of digital tools during a company’s lifecycle. 

The consultation notes that the introduction of harmonised rules on cross-border mergers (Directive 2005/56/EC) resulted in a substantial increase in cross-border merger activity. However, according to a 2013 study on the application of this Directive, there are still some problems with its practical implementation and functioning in practice.

There are currently no EU rules on cross border divisions and conversions. The consultation highlights that this makes the situation unclear for both stakeholders (particularly employees, creditors and minority shareholders) and public authorities.

The consultation will remain open until 6 August 2017. This consultation is part of the Single Market Strategy which forms part of the Commission’s Work Programme for 2017. This sets out the key initiatives the Commission commits to delivering by the end of 2017.