The European Commission has adopted a variety of strategies to reduce poverty and increase the number of people in work, with microcredit promoted as one of the EC's flagship programmes. However, a number of major obstacles exist to prevent the development of microenterprises.
Microfinance organisation Adie International requested assistance through TrustLaw Connect to map the regulatory environment and existing barriers to development of microcredit, microenterprises and self-employment in all 27 Member States of the European Union.
This report was researched and compiled on a pro-bono basis by law firms Latham & Watkins and Orrick, with the assistance of 17 other law firms and in-house legal teams across Europe.