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EU MEMBERS > Germany
Germany business environment
Doing business in Germany
KEY FACTS

As Europe’s largest economy and second most populous nation, Germany is a key member of the continent’s economic, political, and defense organizations. The German economy is heavily export-oriented; as of 2008, Germany is the world’s leading exporter of merchandise, and exports account for more than one-third of national output. (CIA World Factbook)

Currency: EUR
Key exchange rates:
Interest rate: 1%
Current inflation: 2.8%
Inflation target: 2%
Tax rate: 19%

Major German owned companies:

Allianz
Allianz is the largest financial services provider in the world, and is based in Munich, Germany. The company’s main focus is insurance. Allianz is the second largest international insurance and financial services organization in the world.
Daimler
A German car corporation, Daimler is a globally leading producer of premium passenger cars and the largest manufacturer of commercial vehicles in the world. The Daimler Financial Services division has a broad offering of financial services, including vehicle financing, leasing, insurance and fleet management.
Siemens Group
Siemens AG (Berlin and Munich) is a global powerhouse in electronics and electrical engineering, operating in the industry, energy and healthcare sectors.

FIRST STOP
Banking
Deutsche Bundesbank
Bundesbank is the central bank of Germany, and business areas include the Eurosystem monetary policy, as well as financial and monetary system, banking supervision, cashless payments and cash operations.
Deutsche Bank
Deutsche Bank is a leading global investment bank with a strong and profitable private clients franchise. A leader in Germany and Europe, the bank is powerful and growing in North America, Asia and key emerging markets.
Legal
Hengeler Mueller
Hengeler Mueller is a partnership of lawyers with offices in Berlin, Düsseldorf, Frankfurt, Munich, Brussels and London. Hengeler Mueller specialises in offering high-end legal advice to companies in complex business transactions. The firm provides counsel to leading German and international industrial and commercial companies, private equity companies, banks, insurances and other financial service providers.
CMS Hasche Sigle
One of the largest law firms in Germany, offering highly qualified advice in every area of commercial law.
Accounting
Trinavis
With nine partners and over 160 employees, TRINAVIS offers tax advisory and audit services to clients in Germany and to international companies for their business activities in Germany. German Public Auditors, Tax consultants and Lawyers work in unison to actively support our clients
RöverBrönner
The merger of the Röver and Brönner Groups created one of the largest independent audit and tax accountancy firms in Germany. RöverBrönner combines the experience of 6 and 9 decades in auditing and consulting and offers services in auditing, tax and management consulting, in addition to fund management and general trustee services.
EUROPEAN BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT OVERVIEW
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Germany
Germany flag
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Germany map
MAP
Capital: Berlin
Official languages: German
Government: federal republic
EU accession: 1951 (founding member)
Area: 357,027 km2
Population: 82,369,552 (July 2008 est.)
Internet TLD: .de
Calling code: +49
EUROCHAMBRES
Eurochambres, the European Association of Chambers of Commerce and Industry, is one of the key representatives of business to the European institutions. It voices the interests of over 19 million member enterprises in 45 European countries through a network of 2000 regional and local Chambers represented by 45 national - and one transnational - organisations. More than 90% of these enterprises are small or medium enterprises, with chamber members employing over 120 million employees.

Eurochambres is the sole European body to serve the interests of every sector and size of European business - due to the multi-sectoral membership of Chambers - and the only one so close to business, as a result of the Chambers’ regional focus.
http://www.eurochambres.eu
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE IN Germany
The DIHK is the central organisation for 80 Chambers of Industry and Commerce in Germany. All German companies registered in Germany, with the exception of handicraft businesses, the free professions and farms, are required by law to join a chamber.
http://www.dihk.de/english/