A European Company (SE) is a public limited-liability company which is governed by Community law directly applicable in all member states.

It may only be set up within the territory of the European Community. The conditions for this are laid down in two pieces of legislation: The Regulation on the Statute for a European Company (SE) (EC 2157/2001) and the Directive supplementing the Statute for a European Company with regard to the involvement of employees (2001/86/EC). Both were adopted by the Council in October 2001.

It is not an obligation for companies to establish an SE but an option.