Ms Hanna Surmatz:

It will not replace national foundation and charity laws because it will create a European legal instrument, which will be defined by European regulation.

It would be a supra-national legal tool to be used by those foundations which operate across borders as well as for funders with assets in different countries. It represents an answer to the reality that founders and donors have assets in different states and to the fact that there are an increasing number of Europe-wide issues which require bodies to join forces, which it is currently cumbersome to do. Cross-border research where the context involves a European agenda is sometimes difficulty for organisations to pursue. A regulation would provide an answer for essential trans-national initiatives and ease the entry of other foundations to Ireland, for example. It would allow organisations to operate across borders.