Regulatory guideUpdated September 27, 2026

The EU Clinical Trials Regulation, explained plainly

EU CTR, Regulation (EU) No 536/2014, replaced the old Clinical Trials Directive and now covers every clinical trial in the EU, submitted and tracked through CTIS, the Clinical Trials Information System. This page explains what actually changed and where Capture already fits: EU-hosted data, a field-level audit trail, and verified e-signatures.

  • EU hosting (Frankfurt)
  • Single EU-wide submission via CTIS
  • Audit trail and e-signatures ready

Free sandbox · No credit card · 21 CFR Part 11 aligned

Data residency
EU

EU (Frankfurt)

Default for EU-sponsored studies

US

US (N. Virginia)

Default for US-sponsored studies

AES-256 at rest TLS/SSL in transit Chosen at study setup

EU

hosting region available (Frankfurt) for EU-sponsored studies

Field-level

audit trail, exportable to support what you submit in CTIS

2

e-signature steps: participant sign, then countersign

0

setup fee to start building a study

The regulation

What EU CTR actually changed

Regulation (EU) No 536/2014 replaced the old Clinical Trials Directive. Every EU member state involved in a trial now assesses it through one harmonised procedure in CTIS, instead of separate national submissions, and sponsors report through a single EU-wide portal for the life of the trial. The regulation itself does not certify software; it sets requirements for how trial data and safety information are managed and reported.

  • One coordinated assessment across every EU member state in the trial.
  • All trial information submitted and updated through CTIS.
  • Most trial information becomes publicly viewable in CTIS over time.

Stage 1

Draft

Build and edit freely

Stage 2

Approved

Locked for live use

Stage 3

In the casebook

Only approved forms

Audit trail
  • SDV requirement changed on Systolic BP

    Data manager · Reason: critical safety value

  • Form approved: Vital Signs (VS) v2

    Study owner · Locked for live use

  • Answer changed: Weight 68.0 to 68.5 kg

    Site coordinator · Reason: transcription error

What to check

What EU CTR asks of the systems you use

None of this is CTIS itself. It is what supports a clean submission and an inspection-ready record afterward.

A clear audit trail for reported data

Field-level history on every record, timestamped and attributable.

Secure, EU-based hosting for EU studies

A Frankfurt hosting region you can select at setup.

Verified electronic signatures

OTP-verified participant signature plus investigator countersignature.

A way to amend a study without losing history

Protocol and form changes tracked through the same audit trail.

Data you can export for a submission

CSV and Excel exports with an automatic data dictionary.

Amendments

A substantial amendment, without losing the trail

EU CTR amendments still need to be tracked cleanly across every affected site. Capture lets you amend forms and the visit schedule yourself, with the change captured in the same audit trail as everything else, so nothing about the update depends on a change-order ticket to a vendor.

  • Amend a live study’s forms without losing existing data.
  • Every site sees the updated version the same way.
  • The audit trail keeps the before and after, permanently.
Read the protocol amendments page

Blank eCRF · no subject data

Visit by form matrix

FormSCRD1W2W4W8EOS
DemographicsX
Vital signsXXXXXX
LaboratoryXXX
ECGXX

3. Was the ECG performed?

☐ Yes☐ No

If No, complete question 4.

Protocol CAP-001 · v1.0Page 3 of 24

The difference

Coordinating an EU-wide trial before and after

Where study data can be hosted
Wherever a vendor happens to host it
A Frankfurt EU region you choose yourself
Tracking a protocol amendment
Manual re-documentation for each site
One amendment, one audit trail, every site sees the update
Assembling records for a reviewer
Exports pulled from several separate tools
One audit trail across EDC, ePRO and eConsent

Before you switch

The questions teams ask before they commit

Cost

EU hosting, the audit trail and e-signatures are part of every plan, including the free sandbox.

Compliance

Capture does not submit to CTIS. It gives you the records and exports you need to support what you submit there yourself.

Setup time

Pick your EU hosting region at study setup. No separate infrastructure to provision.

Migration

Bring an ongoing EU trial in without losing its audit history.

Support

Email support, typically under 24 hours, plus documentation on Enterprise.

Start building on EU-hosted infrastructure

Free sandbox with every feature. No credit card, no sales call.

Start a study on EU-hosted infrastructure

FAQ

Questions teams ask before they switch

Something not covered here? Ask us directly.

What is EU CTR?

EU CTR, Regulation (EU) No 536/2014, is the regulation that replaced the old EU Clinical Trials Directive. It harmonises trial assessment across EU member states and requires submissions through CTIS, the Clinical Trials Information System.

Does Capture submit to CTIS directly?

No. Capture does not connect to or submit through CTIS. It gives you the audit trail, exports and e-signatures you need to support what your team submits there.

Does EU CTR require EU hosting?

EU CTR does not itself mandate a hosting location, though many EU sponsors choose EU-based hosting alongside their GDPR obligations. Capture’s Frankfurt region is available for that.

Do I need a different system just to handle EU CTR?

No. The controls EU CTR asks for, an audit trail, verified signatures, and secure hosting, are the same ones a well-run trial needs regardless of the regulation.

Can I amend a study under EU CTR without extra setup?

Yes. Forms and the visit schedule can be amended directly, with the change tracked in the audit trail.

Can I try this before deciding?

Yes. The free sandbox includes EU hosting, the audit trail and e-signatures with sample data, no credit card required.

Build your next EU study on EU-hosted infrastructure

Free sandbox with every feature. No credit card, no sales call.

Start a study on EU-hosted infrastructure