Discusses opportunities for U.S. franchisers and legal requirements in the market.
Last Published: 8/1/2019

U.S. businesses looking to franchise within the European Union will likely find that the market is quite robust and friendly to franchise systems in general. There are a number of laws that govern the operation of franchises within the EU, but these laws are broad and generally do not constrain the competitive position of U.S. businesses. The potential franchisor should take care to look not only at the EU regulations, but also at the local laws concerning franchising and specific business sectors.

The UK has no specific laws governing franchising.  The British Franchise Association (bfa) operates a voluntary code of practice for franchisors.

Key Links:
The British Franchise Association
The European Franchise Federation.
 

Prepared by our U.S. Embassies abroad. With its network of 108 offices across the United States and in more than 75 countries, the U.S. Commercial Service of the U.S. Department of Commerce utilizes its global presence and international marketing expertise to help U.S. companies sell their products and services worldwide. Locate the U.S. Commercial Service trade specialist in the U.S. nearest you by visiting http://export.gov/usoffices.


More Information

United Kingdom Franchising Business Management