20/07/2020 (Agence Europe) – On Monday 20 July, the EU Council formally adopted a regulation to facilitate crowdfunding. A provisional agreement between the European Parliament and the Council of the EU had already been reached in December 2019 (see EUROPE 12394/15), but the text took time to be finalised. It provides for a minimum harmonisation of rules, whereas the European Commission had proposed a European passport (see EUROPE 11977/3). The uniform rules will apply to providers of crowdfunding services for offers of up to EUR 5 million, calculated over a 1-year period. The Regulation now has to be adopted by the European Parliament at second reading before it can be published in the Official Journal and enter into force. (MF)