Cross-border movement of companies in the European Union

This essay briefly shows some reflections and opinions on the first stepsof the European Company Law evolution, since its former origins to theissuance of EC Reg. 2157/2001.

In particular the Author deals with the specific issue of cross-border seatmovement of companies, discussing the principal international private lawtheories as well as the ECJ case-law milestones on the freedom ofestablishment (art. 43 EC Treaty) - such as Daily Mail case, Sevic case,Uberseering case, Centros case and Inspire Art case. In conclusion hetreats the turning point case given by Cartesio case and the consequencesit had on the development of Societas Europae (SE) doctrine: a common lexsocietatis europae isn't still a chimera