The EU has its origins in the early 1950s when a European Federation was first suggested by the then French foreign minister, Robert Schuman. There are now 27 member states. Understanding the history and operation of the EU is key to understanding the implications for your business and helping you to make the best decisions and plan your European investment.

We can guide you to the information on the following countries:

Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden.

In addition to general information on Europe, we provide, where published and accessible, best practice guidance to corporate governance in the following countries:

Albania, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey and Ukraine.

Our Directors' Information Gateway (DIG) can take you directly to these key resources, providing you and your business with practical guidance and background information on regulations, legislation and investing in Europe. Please log in to DIG with your IoD membership number and password, or contact us for further assistance

Did you know?

Did you know that, as a member of the IoD, you can:

• call Directors' Law Express for answers to your European employment, company and commercial law enquiries
• get help with a proposal or tender for a contract in the EU from our Directors' Advisory Service
• obtain lists of companies, financial details and market research from our Business Information Service