"Daily Mail", "Centros", "Überseering" and "Inspire Art": By applying the principle of freedom of establishment the ECJ has step by step triggered the competition between EU corporate legal systems. Entrepreneurs and investors within the EU now can choose between the various corporate legal forms of the various member states when deciding where and how to carry out their business. This volume is the first compendium to include a review and description of the most important types of corporate corporations (i.e. public/private limited liability companies and variations thereof) in the newly enlarged Europe. In particular with respect to the proposed directive concerning the transfer of the registered office of a company from one member state to another under perpetuation of its legal capacity this compendium becomes an indispensable reference book for investors/businessmen, lawyers and students providing practical information starting with the formation and ending with the winding up of the various types of corporate entities presented. The team of authors comprises more than 13 lawyers and professionals from the various countries concerned with a profound background in corporate law.