Germany
General
Information & Brief Economic Summary
Standards
US Contacts in
Germany
German
Government Contacts
Trade Associations
and Other Key Contacts
Trade Event
Schedule
General Information & Brief Economic
Summary
The German economy is still the world's third largest (likely to be surpassed by China soon) and, after the expansion of the EU, accounts for nearly one-fifth of European Union GDP. Germany is the United States' largest European trading partner and is the sixth largest market for U.S. exports. Germany’s "social market" economy largely follows free-market principles, but with a considerable degree of government regulation and generous social welfare programs and protections.
Germany is the largest consumer market in the European Union with a population of over 82 million. However, the significance of the German marketplace goes well beyond its borders. An enormous volume of worldwide trade is conducted in Germany at some of the world’s largest trade events, such as CeBIT, Medica, Hannover Fair, Automechanika, and the ITB Tourism Show. The volume of trade, number of consumers, and Germany’s geographic location at the heart of a 27-member European Union that added ten members in 2004, and two more in 2007 make it a keystone around which many U.S. firms seek to build their European and worldwide expansion strategies.
Back to Top
Standards
Products tested and certified in the United States to American standards are likely to have to be retested and re-certified to EU requirements as a result of the EU’s different approach to the protection of the health and safety of consumers and the environment. Where products are not regulated by specific EU technical legislation, they are always subject to the EU’s General Product Safety Directive as well as to possible additional national requirements.
European Union standards created under the New Approach are harmonized across the 27 EU Member States and European Economic Area countries to allow for the free flow of goods. A feature of the New Approach is CE marking. While harmonization of EU legislation can facilitate access to the EU Single Market, manufacturers should be aware that regulations and technical standards might also function as barriers to trade if U.S. standards are different from those of the European Union.
Many standards in the EU are adopted from international standards bodies such as the International Standards Organization (ISO). The drafting of specific EU standards is handled by three European standards organizations:
- CENELEC, European Committee for Electrotechnical Standardization
(http://www.cenelec.org/Cenelec/Homepage.htm)
- CEN, European Committee for Standardization, handling all other standards
(http://www.cen.eu/cenorm/homepage.htm)
EU "CE" Standards
Certification and Standards:
Ms. Suzanne R. Sens, Standards Officer
Ms. Sylvia Mohr, Standards Specialist
U.S. Mission to the EU (USEU)
Commercial Service
27 Blvd. Du Regent
B-1000 Brussels, Belgium
Telephone: 32 2 508 2746
Telefax: 32 2 513 1228
Office of European Union and Regional Affairs
Mr. Robert Straetz
Room H-3036
International Trade Administration
U.S. Department of Commerce
Washington, D.C. 20230
Telephone: (202) 482-4496
Telefax: (202) 482-2155
U.S. Contacts for Foreign Standards Information:
National Center for Foreign Standards Information
National Institute of Standards and Technology
TRF Room A163
Gaithersburg, MD 20899
Telephone: (301) 975-4040
Telefax: (301) 975-2128
EuropeRegional, Political, and Economic Affairs
Room 6519
U.S. Department of State
Washington, D.C. 20520
Telephone: (202) 647-2395
American National Standards Institute
11 West 42nd St.
13th Floor
New York, NY 10036
Telephone: (212) 642-4900
Telefax: (212) 302-1286
Back to Top
US Government
Contacts
U.S. Embassy Trade Personnel
Commercial Service http://www.buyusa.gov/germany/en/berlin.html
U.S. Consulates
Dusseldorf http://duesseldorf.usconsulate.gov
Commercial Service http://www.buyusa.gov/germany/en/duesseldorf.html
Frankfurt/Main http://frankfurt.usconsulate.gov
Commercial Service http://www.buyusa.gov/germany/en/frankfurt.html
Hamburg http://hamburg.usconsulate.gov
Leipzig http://leipzig.usconsulate.gov
Munich http://munich.usconsulate.gov
Commercial Service http://www.buyusa.gov/germany/en/munich.html
Washington-based USG Country Contacts
U.S. Department of Commerce, International Trade Administration
http://www.trade.gov
U.S. Department of State
http://www.state.gov
U.S. Department of the Treasury
http://www.ustreas.gov
Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, Office of Europe and the Mediterranean
http://www.ustr.gov
U.S.-based Multipliers
Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany
http://www.germany-info
CMA - German Agricultural Marketing Board
North American Office
http://www.germanfoods.org
German American Chamber of Commerce Inc. (Headquarters)
http://www.gaccny.com
German Representative for Industry and Trade
http://www.rgit-usa.com
Other Contacts
http://www.buyusa.gov/germany/en/contact.html - U.S. Commercial Service Germany’s trade specialists can help you identify trade opportunities, find local trading partners, launch your company, and obtain market research reports.
http://www.export.gov - U.S. Government Export Portal
http://www.buyusa.gov/europeanunion - As EU member states harmonize their regulations and increase their economic integration, a direct connection to the U.S. Commercial Service at the U.S. Mission to the European Union can be the key to success in the EU market.
http://www.agbc.de - American-German Business Club
http://www.agbc-berlin.de - American German Business Club Berlin
http://www.amcham.de - American Chamber of Commerce in Germany
http://www.useu.be/agri/ - the office of Agricultural Affairs at the U.S. Mission to the European Union has a very comprehensive website on EU food laws, import requirements, and duties and quotas.
http://www.fas.usda.gov - The Foreign Agricultural Service website has trade and production statistics, exporter assistance information, marketing information, trade policy news and links to the attaché reports
http://www.tradestatsexpress.gov - provides statistical data on trade between the United States and Germany.
http://www.bundesbank.de - provides information and key indicators on Germany’s economy.
American Chamber of Commerce
Rossmarkt 12
60311 Frankfurt am Main
Tel: 49 69 92 91 04 0
Fax: 49 69 92 91 04 11
Email: info@amcham.de
Website: www.amcham.de
United States Embassy in Bonn
Mailing Address: American Embassy, Bonn
PSC 117, Box 370
(U.S. & Foreign Commercial Service)
APO, AE 09080
Telephone: [49][228] 339-1 (Switchboard)
Telefax: [49][228] 339-2663
Mailing Address: U.S. Embassy Office Berlin
PSC 120, Box 1000
APO AE 09265
Street Address: U.S. Embassy Office Berlin
Neustaedtische Kirchstrasse 4-5
10117 Berlin
Telephone: [49] [30] 238-5174 (Switchboard)
Telefax: [49] [30] 2045-4466
www.usembassy.de
U.S. & Foreign Commercial Service
Neustaedtische Kirchstrasse 4-5
10117 Berlin, Germany
Ambassador, Mr. Daniel R. Coats
Deputy Chief of Mission, Mr. John Cloud
Counselor for Commercial Affairs, Mr. John Fogarasi
Tel: 49-30-8305-2740
Fax: 49-30-2045-4466
Email: john.fogarasi@mail.doc.gov
Dusseldorf, U.S. & Foreign Commercial Service
Mr. Edward Fantasia, Commercial Representative
Willi-Becker-Allee 10
40227 Duesseldorf, Germany
Telephone: [49][211] 737-767-0
Telefax: [49][211] 737-767-67
Email: duesseldorf.office.box@mail.doc.gov
www.buyusa.gov/germany/en/duesseldorf.html
Frankfurt/Main - U.S. & Foreign Commercial Service
Mr. Todd Thurwachter, Commercial Officer
Siesmayerstrasse 21
60323 Frankfurt/Main, Germany
Telephone: [49][69] 956204-0
Telefax: [49][69] 561114
Email: Frankfurt.office.box@mail.doc.gov
www.buyusa.gov/germany/en/frankfurt.html
Hamburg, U.S. & Foreign Commercial Service
Mr. James Finlay, Commercial Representative
Alsterufer 27/28
20354 Hamburg, Germany
Telephone: [49][40] 4117 1224
Telefax: [49][40] 4106 598
Email: hamburg.office.box@mail.doc.gov
Leipzig, U.S. & Foreign Commercial Service
Mr. Andrew Wylegala, Commercial Officer
Wilhelm-Seyfferth-Strasse 4
04107 Leipzig, Germany
Telephone: [49][341] 2138 440
Telefax: [49][341] 2138 441
Email: leipzig.office.box@mail.doc.gov
www.buyusa.gov/germany/en/leipzig.html
Munich, U.S. & Foreign Commercial Service
Mr. Bryan Smith, Commercial Officer
Koeniginstrasse 5
80539 Muenchen, Germany
Telephone: [49][89] 288 8754
Telefax: [49][89] 285 261
Email: munich.office.box@mail.doc.gov
www.buyusa.gov/germany/en/munich.html
Back to Top
German Government
Contacts
Country Contacts
Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology
Bundesministerium fuer Wirtschaft & Technologie
www.bmwi.bund.de
Federal Bureau for Foreign Trade Information
http://www.bfai.de
Federal Ministry of Finance
Bundesministerium der Finanzen
http://www.bundesfinanzministerium.de
Country Trade Associations/Chambers of Commerce
Bundesverband der Deutschen Industrie e.V. (BDI)
(Federation of German Industries)
http://www.bdi-online.de
Deutscher Industrie und Handelskammertag (DIHK)
(Federation of German Chambers of Industry and Commerce)
http://www.dihk.de
Bundesverband des Deutschen Gross- und Aussenhandels e.V. (BGA)
(Federation of German Wholesale and Foreign Trade)
http://www.bga.de
Zentralverband Elektrotechnik- und Eletronikindustrie e.V. (ZVEI)
(German Electrical and Electronic Manufacturers Association)
http://www.zvei.de
Verband Deutscher Maschinen- und Anlagenbau e.V. (VDMA)
(German Association of Machinery and Plant Manufacturers)
www.vdma.org
Centralvereinigung Deutscher Handelsvertreter- und Handelsmakler-Verbaende (CDH)
(General Association of Commercial Agents and Brokers)
http://www.cdh.de
Country Market Research Firms
It would exceed the scope of this guide to list even only the major market research or consultant companies. Most of these firms belong to one or both of the following associations and can be contacted through these:
Bundesverband Deutscher Unternehmensberater e.V. (BDU)
(Federal Association of German Consultants)
http://www.bdu.de
Arbeitskreis Deutscher Markt- und Sozialforschungsinstitute e.V. (ADM)
(Federation of German Market and Social Research Institutes)
http://adm-ev.de
Country Commercial Banks
There are numerous domestic and foreign banks represented in Germany; among the largest German institutions are:
Deutsche Bank AG http://www.deutsche-bank.de
Dresdner Bank AG http://www.dresdner-bank.com
Commerzbank AG http://www.commerzbank.com
U.S. Embassy Trade Personnel
Commercial Service http://www.buyusa.gov/germany/en/berlin.html
U.S. Consulates
Dusseldorf http://duesseldorf.usconsulate.gov
Commercial Service http://www.buyusa.gov/germany/en/duesseldorf.html
Frankfurt/Main http://frankfurt.usconsulate.gov
Commercial Service http://www.buyusa.gov/germany/en/frankfurt.html
Hamburg http://hamburg.usconsulate.gov
Leipzig http://leipzig.usconsulate.gov
Munich http://munich.usconsulate.gov
Commercial Service http://www.buyusa.gov/germany/en/munich.html
Washington-based USG Country Contacts
U.S. Department of Commerce, International Trade Administration
http://www.trade.gov
U.S. Department of State
http://www.state.gov
U.S. Department of the Treasury
http://www.ustreas.gov
Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, Office of Europe and the Mediterranean
http://www.ustr.gov
U.S.-based Multipliers
Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany
http://www.germany-info.org
CMA - German Agricultural Marketing Board
North American Office
http://www.germanfoods.org
German American Chamber of Commerce Inc. (Headquarters)
http://www.gaccny.com
German Representative for Industry and Trade
http://www.rgit-usa.com
Back to Top
Trade Associations and Other
Key Contacts
http://www.buyusa.gov/germany/en/contact.html - U.S. Commercial Service Germany’s trade specialists can help you identify trade opportunities, find local trading partners, launch your company, and obtain market research reports.
http://www.export.gov - U.S. Government Export Portal
http://www.buyusa.gov/europeanunion - As EU member states harmonize their regulations and increase their economic integration, a direct connection to the U.S. Commercial Service at the U.S. Mission to the European Union can be the key to success in the EU market.
http://www.agbc.de - American-German Business Club
http://www.agbc-berlin.de - American German Business Club Berlin
http://www.amcham.de - American Chamber of Commerce in Germany
http://www.tradestatsexpress.gov - provides statistical data on trade between the United States and Germany.
http://www.bundesbank.de - provides information and key indicators on Germany’s economy.
Back to Top
Trade Event
Schedule
CeMat 2011
May 2-6, 2011
Hannover Messe
Hannover, Germany
Email: info@messe.de
Please click on the link below for information on upcoming trade events:
http://www.buyusa.gov/germany/en/events.html
Directory of important trade fairs in Germany and the U.S.
http://www.export.gov/tradeevents/
Back to Top
Source: US Department of Commerce.
*This guide is not a complete list of trade associations or
publications. We welcome any additions to this document. The
Material Handling Industry does not assume a legal liability or
responsibility for the accuracy, completeness or usefulness of
the information contained herein. The listing of information
here does not reflect an endorsement of any of the particular
information by the Material Handling Industry.