France Digitale has announced a collaboration with over twenty European startup associations in response to recent reports on the European Union's competitiveness. Together, they aim to propose ideas for the "28th regime," a unified EU status for startups, as introduced by Ursula von der Leyen.
According to the Letta and Draghi reports, Europe, with its market of 450 million consumers, presents regulatory and administrative barriers that hinder companies from scaling across EU borders. The reports indicate that 70% of European scale-ups prioritize expanding to the United States first. In response, the EU President proposed the 28th regime, a new EU-wide status intended to support young, innovative companies in growing within Europe.
The proposal includes a unified stock option framework, access to simplified European labor laws, and streamlined public procurement processes. Hearings with EU officials, including Vice Presidents Stéphane Séjourné and Henna Virkkunen, are scheduled to discuss the proposal’s implementation.