European cross-border associations
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With the Council of the EU, which is preparing its first-reading position.
Last active 22 May 2025
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What this bill does
In plain terms: what it changes and who it affects.
This proposal creates a national legal form for non-profit associations that want to operate across EU borders more easily.
Who it affects
It affects non-profit associations active, or seeking to become active, in more than one Member State. It also affects their members, donors, funders, employees, beneficiaries, and public authorities handling registration.
Core of the proposal
- Creates European cross-border associations, or ECBAs, as a legal form in every Member State.
- Grants ECBAs legal personality and capacity recognised automatically across the Union after one registration.
- Prohibits nationality, residence, reciprocity, and extra registration barriers for ECBA cross-border activity.
- Allows ECBAs to transfer registered office between Member States without dissolution or creating a new entity.
Key provisions
- Takes effect
- The Directive enters into force on the twentieth day following publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.
- Transitional law
- Member States must transpose the Directive within two years after its entry into force.
Articles changed · 2 across 2 laws
- Regulation (EU) No 1024/2012 (32012R1024)
- entire act: amends to enable IMI cooperation and information exchange for ECBA procedures
- Regulation (EU) 2018/1724 (32018R1724)
- entire act: amends to provide online ECBA information and evidence exchange via the Single Digital Gateway
Latest update
05 Jun 2026The most recent development in this bill's progress.
Trilogues (interinstitutional negotiations) → 1st reading – Council of the EU
Trilogues (interinstitutional negotiations) → 1st reading – Council of the EU
Documents
1 recentSourcesOEILEUR-LexEU Law Tracker