Startup and Scaleup Strategy
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Summary
The strategy aims to make it easier for innovative companies to start, grow and operate across Europe. It combines simpler company rules and digital administration with better access to finance, markets, talent and research infrastructure. Proposed measures include the 28th regime, the European Business Wallet, regulatory sandboxes and support for deep-tech investment. Work on research commercialisation, intellectual property and procurement is intended to help ideas reach customers. Talent initiatives address education, mobility and recruitment, while common definitions, a scoreboard and an annual founder survey would track changes in the startup and scaleup environment.
Action items
1–6 of 41 items
Source order · D = digital dimension- Item 1D · Digital dimension
The Commission will propose a European 28th regime which will provide a single set of rules for companies. It would include an EU corporate legal framework, based on digital-by-default solutions, and will help companies overcome barriers in setting up, scaling up and operating companies across the Single Market. To do so, it will simplify applicable rules and reduce the cost of failure, by addressing specific aspects within relevant areas of law, including insolvency, labour and tax law. It will explore the possibility of enabling companies to establish in Europe more rapidly, ideally within 48 hours (Q1 2026).
- Item 2D · Digital dimension
The Commission will propose the European Business Wallet as the cornerstone of doing business simply and digitally in the EU, establishing a digital identity for all economic operators and providing a framework for sharing verified data and credentials to enable seamless digital interactions between economic operators and public administrations across the Union (Q4 2025).
- Item 3D · Digital dimension
The Commission will propose a European Innovation Act which will also promote regulatory sandboxes, to allow innovators to develop and test new ideas. It will contain a common legal definition and basic principles regarding the establishment of regulatory sandboxes, including cross-border or place-based regulatory sandboxes, while ensuring sector specific needs (Q1 2026).
- Item 4D · Digital dimension
The Commission will propose a voluntary ‘Innovation Stress Test’ by Member States, consisting of recommendations for Member States to systematically assess the potential impact on innovation when preparing new or revised national legislation (Q12026).
- Item 5D · Digital dimension
The Commission will put forward proposals to reduce regulatory burdens in strategic sectors through forthcoming sectoral legislative and non-legislative proposals, such as the EU Biotech Act, the EU Bioeconomy Strategy, the EU Life Science Strategy, the Advanced Materials Act the Medical Devices Regulation and the Omnibus Defence Simplification Package (as of 2025).
- Item 6D · Digital dimension
The Commission will revise the Standardisation Regulation to make standard- setting processes faster and more accessible, particularly for SMEs and startups (Q2 2026).
Current developments connected to this strategy
- European Commission amended merger guidelines
- Regulation on the establishment of European Business Wallets (2025/0358)
- EU: Commission partners with private investors to launch the Scaleup Europe Fund
- European Innovation Act
Reviewed for Digital Policy Alert and Global Trade Alert records, with none identified: European Innovation Council (EIC) Reform.