29 June 2018

10.00am-12.30pm, followed by a networking lunch

Venue : BusinessEurope’s premises, 168 Avenue de CORTENBERGH, 1000 BRUSSELS

On 25 April, the European Commission unveiled its long-awaited company law package  aiming to modernise the legislative framework for European businesses. The rules are intended to make it easier for companies to merge, divide or move within the European Union, as well as to prevent social dumping, tax evasion and other forms of abuse.

It contains two main elements: a mobility chapter relating to cross-border operations, with a number of provisions on cross-border divisions and transfers in a directive, and a targeted revision of the directive on cross-border mergers. The second element is a draft directive aiming to facilitate the use of digital tools to register companies in order to make up the EU’s lost ground in this area. The Commission’s proposals seek to ensure the effective exercise of the freedom of establishment within the internal market, while protecting the rights of tax authorities, employees, creditors and minority shareholders against abuse of legal personality. Striking the right balance between the freedom of establishment and the protection of stakeholders will  thus be key.

BusinessEurope, ACCA (the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants) and UEAPME are delighted to invite you to a lively discussion on how to make the best of digital solutions and cross-border mobility, with the support of  EY, kicking off with presentation of the Company Law Package by Commissioner Jourovà.

RSVP by 16 June to cecile.bonino@accaglobal.com

Draft agenda

9.30h  Registration and coffee

10.00h Welcome by Markus Beyrer, Director General BusinessEurope

10.10h Keynote speech, Věra Jourová Commissioner for Justice, Consumers and Gender Equality

10.20h Keynote speech, Jytte Guteland, MEP, S&D JURI Committee

10.30h Panel discussion, moderated by Jason Piper, head of Business law, ACCA

• Salla Saastamoinen, Director, Civil and  Commercial Justice, European Commission
• Pierre-Henri Conac, Professor of Commercial and Company Law at the University of Luxembourg
• Veronique Willems, Secretary General,  UEAPME
• Joëlle Simon, MEDEF & Vice-Chair of the Legal Affairs Committee, BusinessEurope
• Daniela Mattheus, Executive Director at EY and head of Corporate Governance Board Services in Germany, Austria and Switzerland
• ETUC (exact speaker still to be confirmed)

11.50h Q&As

12.10h Concluding remarks, Peter Martschini, incoming Austrian Presidency of the Council of the EU

12.25h Conclusion: Pedro Oliveira, Director of Legal, BusinessEurope

12.30h Networking Lunch

 Please note that pictures, videos, and audio recordings will be made at this event in which you may be featured. By attending this event, you grant the organisers the right to use such material for non-commercial purposes, including the posting of photos and/or videos on our website. If you wish to object to this, please contact the organisers before the event.