There is EU law, which is enacted across all EU members. But there is no such thing as a EU legal framework, neither is there a fiscal one if we are focusing on business.

A debt dispute could be resolved in less than 4 months or dragged for close to a decade depending on which EU state you have a business.

Same goes for fiscal law. Some countries have had pretty much the same rates and taxation arrangements for decades. Some countries change their fiscal load on businesses as much as twice in one year. Both cases are technically 'the EU'.

I would have thought so. But on the other hand, it seems to me like there is a lot more appreciation on the part of EU for laws to be enforced more in spirit than in letter. That might not be a good legal environment for businesses.

Yes, and it is generally hostile towards wealth generators. And then they wonder why nearly every economic metric has been stagnant for decades at this point...

Pointing to EU law/regilations is just platitudes people keep repeating online.

Biggest barriers to business in the EU is risk averse Investors and Banking sector, lack of significant VC funding players, and Government spending strangled by Austerity policies.

The US spends a lot of money to make even more money.

> Pointing to EU law/regilations is just platitudes people keep repeating online.

I disagree, for the reason mentioned below.

> Biggest barriers to business in the EU is risk averse Investors and Banking sector, lack of significant VC funding players, and Government spending strangled by Austerity policies.

Some of it is cultural I'm sure, but when your reward is capped it's logical to limit risk. Your list of issues are indicators of a risk-averse mindset.

Regarding the comment above: If most of the return from your risky venture is going to be taken from you by the government, why take the risk?

> The US spends a lot of money to make even more money.

Yep. It's like the stock market vs. bonds. The ride is bumpy but more lucrative over the long run.

> If most of the return from your risky venture is going to be taken from you by the government, why take the risk?

Again, not true. High taxation is mostly (unfairly so) on payroll salaries not profits or capital gains.

Most investors are conservative, risk averse, and remain vastly concentrated on Real Estate, which yields very high profits on an inflated market.

Most businesses get very poor credit conditions from the Banking Sector and most Business are SMEs focusing mostly on traditional B2B B2C services with low margins.