Successful cases: how RUE helped Chinese companies enter the EU market

In recent years, Regulated United Europe (RUE) has successfully implemented a number of projects to support Chinese companies entering the European Union market. These projects cover a wide range of sectors, including e-commerce, fintech, manufacturing, logistics and energy. Thanks to their in-depth knowledge of European legislation, the tax system and intercultural communication specifics, RUE specialists have helped Chinese entrepreneurs establish a legal presence in the EU and achieve full operational integration.

A notable case was the incorporation of a subsidiary of a leading Chinese battery manufacturer in Lithuania. The company chose Lithuania due to its developed clean-tech sector and favourable tax conditions for R&D centres. RUE’s lawyers carried out thorough preparation, including creating the corporate structure, obtaining work permits for foreign specialists, and registering the company for EU VAT. They also developed an internal transfer pricing scheme, which optimised taxation and ensured compliance with European BEPS standards. Thanks to the professional support provided, the project was completed within three months and, within six months, the company had begun exporting products to Germany and Poland. Another successful project involved helping a Chinese IT company to enter the e-commerce market in the Czech Republic. The client approached RUE to set up a legal entity, obtain licences for personal data processing and open a current account with a European bank. The RUE team supported the entire company registration process, prepared GDPR policies adapted to local legislation and helped build contractual relations with European suppliers. Another stage involved creating a legal structure to attract investment from European funds – a solution that enabled the client to secure financing without breaching Chinese currency control regulations. Another interesting example was our work with a Chinese holding company specialising in logistics and international transport. The company was considering opening a representative office in Estonia, a country renowned for its digital infrastructure and efficient administrative processes. RUE specialists not only registered the Estonian entity and arranged e-residency cards for the company’s directors, but also organised the acquisition of a licence to operate in the field of international freight transport. Consequently, the Chinese company was able to integrate into the European transport network and access tenders for transportation in the Baltic region.

Another case involved a Chinese fintech company seeking a Virtual Asset Service Provider (VASP) licence in an EU country. RUE’s lawyers developed a comprehensive licensing strategy and prepared internal AML/CTF policies and compliance documentation. They also represented the client before the regulator. After completing the necessary procedures, the company successfully obtained the licence, enabling it to legally provide cryptoasset exchange and custody services in Europe. In all these cases, RUE’s key advantage was its ability to work at the intersection of two legal systems: Chinese and European. The team does more than just register companies; it helps build sustainable operating models, providing support in areas such as tax planning, contract management, intellectual property protection, and staff localisation. Chinese clients value RUE not just for its ability to open a company, but also for its ability to adapt it to the realities of a particular EU country while ensuring compliance with the requirements of regulators, tax authorities and banks.

In addition to legal support, RUE helps Chinese companies establish a reputation in the European market. As part of this process, corporate websites are created that contain European legal information, data protection agreements are drafted and corporate governance and ESG standards are implemented. This all increases trust from partners and government bodies, which is especially important given the heightened scrutiny of Chinese investments. RUE‘s experience demonstrates that successfully entering the EU market as a Chinese business is impossible without professional legal and strategic support. RUE acts as an end-to-end advisor, not an intermediary, ensuring the client’s full compliance with the European regulatory environment. Thanks to this, dozens of Chinese companies have not only registered businesses in Europe, but have also integrated into the EU economic ecosystem by obtaining licences, opening bank accounts, concluding international contracts and starting full-scale commercial activity.

RUE has established itself as a reliable partner capable of simplifying complex legal procedures. For Chinese companies seeking to enter the European market in 2025, cooperating with RUE is an important factor for success – guaranteeing legality, efficiency and trust on the part of European institutions. Below are three success stories of our Chinese clients described in more detail:

Case 1. A Chinese electronics company opened a branch in Estonia to optimise taxation and enter the EU market.

A Guangzhou-based Chinese electronics manufacturer approached Regulated United Europe with the aim of optimising taxation and accessing the European market without creating a complex corporate structure. The client’s main objective was to establish a company in a jurisdiction with a transparent tax system, a modern digital infrastructure and the capacity to conduct international trade in euros.

After analysing several European countries, the RUE team proposed Estonia as the optimal jurisdiction, thanks to its low administrative barriers, zero tax on retained earnings and fully digital company management process. Regulated United Europe‘s lawyers prepared the full set of incorporation documents, arranged the opening of a corporate bank account within a European payment system, registered the company in electronic registries and supported the process of obtaining a VAT number. Additionally, a tax plan was developed to minimise obligations when transferring funds between the Chinese parent company and the Estonian entity.

Following registration, the company started supplying electronics to the EU under its own brand, using the Estonian company as a logistics and tax hub. This enabled the client to formalise its business in Europe, build trust with partners, and reduce its tax burden by almost 25% compared to the previous Hong Kong-based structure.

Case 2. Acquisition of a financial company in Lithuania by a Chinese holding company to simplify cross-border settlements between China and the EU.

A financial group from Shanghai, operating through a Hong Kong branch, was having difficulty making euro payments and interacting with European banks. These challenges were caused by regulatory barriers and stricter compliance policies towards Asian clients. The company turned to Regulated United Europe (RUE) to establish a lawful corporate structure that would provide more direct access to the European financial system.

The RUE team proposed the strategic solution of acquiring an operating financial company in Lithuania that was licensed to provide payment services in the EU. The lawyers carried out full legal due diligence on the target company, prepared documentation to notify the Bank of Lithuania of the change in ownership and developed a plan to align the internal documentation with European AML and KYC standards. Once the transaction had been finalised, the Chinese group was able to make euro payments directly, open correspondent accounts in the EU and arrange settlements with European counterparties.

Thanks to the project implemented by Regulated United Europe, the Chinese holding company was able to integrate into the European financial system, significantly reducing international transfer times and cutting currency operation costs. The new Lithuanian office has become the company’s main settlement centre for operations between Europe and Asia, and the entire structure is now fully compliant with the EU’s MiFID II requirements and AML directives.

Case 3. Establishing a cryptocurrency company in the Czech Republic by Chinese investors to launch a platform for the exchange and custody of digital assets.

A group of Chinese entrepreneurs with experience in digital assets approached Regulated United Europe to legalise their crypto platform within the European Union. They planned to create a European company capable of providing cryptocurrency exchange and custody services in compliance with the upcoming MiCA regulation. RUE’s lawyers recommended the Czech Republic as one of the most favourable EU jurisdictions due to its clear stance on virtual assets and the robust supervision provided by the Czech National Bank (ČNB) and the Financial Analytical Office (FAU).

The Regulated United Europe team developed a bespoke corporate structure for the client, including registering a Czech legal entity, preparing anti-money laundering (AML) and internal compliance documentation, and obtaining Virtual Asset Service Provider (VASP) status. Subsequently, RUE’s lawyers facilitated communication with the local regulator, conducted an audit of the internal security system and assisted in the implementation of technological solutions that align with European data protection and anti-money laundering requirements.

Following successful registration, the company began offering cryptocurrency exchange and digital asset custody services to European users, thereby providing Chinese investors with access to the European crypto market in full compliance with EU law. Thanks to RUE’s comprehensive support, the project was implemented in record time, becoming an example of successful Chinese entrepreneurial entry into Europe’s regulated digital finance market.