ATANASOV: the European student entrepreneur status This is the ambition of International Horizons for the years 2019 to 2022. A new project in KA2 coming up, submission expected in April 2019 for a September 2019 start: explanations.

The student entrepreneur status

A French and Belgian particularity, this status grants rights and duties to students who set up a company. By students, I mean learners. They benefit from support, special taxation, financial arrangements and subsidies linked to their legal status. And the conclusion: it works. In one year, the number of students who started their own business increased by 100%. And, start-ups do not face greater failure than ‘traditional’ entrepreneurs.

The student entrepreneur status in the European Union

It does not exist. But the loophole is exploitable, and certainly acceptable to the Member States. Education is a shared competence between Europe and the States, youth is ‘directed’ through the Bratislava Charter. The student entrepreneur status can therefore be presented more as an action in favour of young people than in terms of taxation and a fully economic device.

If tomorrow the status is uniform throughout the EU, it would mean that a Bulgarian could set up a business with a Cypriot, without worrying about where to register it. The status also implies from the outset an equality of rights and duties. But let’s go further.

European fairness

To take the example, the cost of living in Bulgaria is not the same as in France or Sweden. More than equality, it is therefore equity that is needed. If the subsidy is 5000€ in Bulgaria, it should be 10000€ in France, for 13000€ in Sweden ! [chiffres fictifs]. In order to create a viable student-entrepreneur status, an equitable status across European territories must be established. With the benefit of nationality and not place of residence: the project could even appeal to nationalists!

ATANASOV: the European student entrepreneur status

The aim is obviously not to create the status, we have absolutely no power to do so. However, it is a good idea to produce a white paper with a range of recommendations concerning both youth support and the legal and tax aspects, etc. We are starting the project with Bulgaria, Macedonia, Sweden, Slovenia, and therefore France.

Let’s see what happen next !