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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


Germany is the world's third-largest economy and the largest in Europe. The German economy is heavily export-oriented, with exports accounting for more than one-third of national output. Germany is a strong advocate of closer European economic integration, and its economic and commercial policies are increasingly determined within the European Union (EU). The United States is Germany's second-largest trading partner. German is strategically placed to take advantage of the rapidly growing central European countries.

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Standards

Germany's regulations and bureaucratic procedures can be a difficult hurdle for companies wishing to enter the market, requiring close attention by U.S. exporters. Complex safety standards, not normally discriminatory but sometimes zealously applied, complicate access to the market for many U.S. products. U.S. suppliers are well advised to do their homework thoroughly and make sure they know precisely which standards apply to their product, and that they obtain timely testing and certification.

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

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US Government Contacts

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
www.buyusa.gov/germany/en/hamburg.html

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

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German Government Contacts

Federal Ministry of Economics
Bundesministerium fuer Wirtschaft & Technologie
Mr. Wolfgang Hantke, America Desk Officer
Scharnhorststrasse 34-37
10115 Berlin, Germany
Telephone: [49][30] 2014-7578 and 01888-615-7578
Telefax: [49][30] 2014-5479 and 01888-615-5479
Email: info@bmwi.bund.de
www.bmwi.de

Bundesminsterium fuer Wirtschaft & Technologie
Dr. Bernard Veltrup, Head of Division - New States
Scharnhorststrasse 34-37
10115 Berlin, Germany
Telephone: [49][30] 2014-6260
Telefax: [49][30] 2014-5364
Email: info@bmwi.bund.de
www.bmwi.de

Foreign Investor Information Center
Scharnhorststr. 36
10115 Berlin, Germany
Telephone: [49] [30] 2014-7753
Telefax: [49] [30] 2014-7036

Federal Bureau for Foreign Trade Information
Bundesagentur Fuer Aussenwirtschaft
Ms. Zimniok, North American Desk Officer
Agrippastrasse 87-93
50676 Koeln, Germany
Telephone: [49][221] 20 57-249
Telefax: [49][221] 20 57-212
www.bfai.de

Federal Ministry of Finance
Bundesministerium fuer Finanzen
Wilhelmstrasse 97
10117 Berlin, Germany
Telephone: [49][30] 2242-0
Telefax: [49][30] 2242-3260
www.bundesfinanzministerium.de

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Trade Associations and Other Key Contacts

Bundesverband der Deutschen Industrie e.V. (BDI)
(Federation of German Industries)
Breite Strasse 29
10178 Berlin, Germany
Telephone: [49][30] 2028-0
Email: dihk@berlin.dihk.de
www.dihk.de

Deutscher Industrie und Handelskammertag (DIHK)
(Federation of German Chambers of Industry and Commerce)
Breite Strasse 29
10178 Berlin, Germany
Telephone: [49][30]203 08-0
Telefax: [49][30] 203 08-1000
Email: dihk@bonn.dihk.de
www.dihk.de

Bundesverband des Deutschen Gross- und Aussenhandels e.V. (BGA)
(Federation of German Wholesale and Foreign Trade)
Am Weidendamm 1 A
10117 Berlin, German
Telephone: [49][30] 5900 995-0
Telefax: [49][30] 5900 995-19
www.bga.de

Zentralverband Elektrotechnik- und Eletronikindustrie e.V. (ZVEI)
(German Electrical and Electronic Manufacturers Association)
Stresemannallee 19
60596 Frankfurt/Main, Germany
Telephone: [49][69] 6302-0
Telefax: [49][69] 6302-317
Email: zvei@zvei.org
www.zvei.de

Verband Deutscher Maschinen- und Anlagenbau e.V. (VDMA)
(German Association of Machinery and Plant Manufacturers)
Lyoner Strasse 18
60528 Frankfurt/Main, Germany
Telephone: [49][69] 6603-0
Telefax: [49][69] 6603-1511
Email: puoe@vdma.org
www.vdma.de

Centralvereinigung Deutscher Handelsvertreter- und Handelsmakler-Verbaende (CDH)
(General Association of Commercial Agents and Brokers)
Am Weidendamm 1a
10117 Berlin, Germany
Telephone: [49][30] 72625-600
Telefax: [49][30] 72625-699
Email: centralvereinigung@cdh.de
www.cdh.de

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Trade Event Schedule

CeMat 2008
May 27-31-2008
Hannover Messe
Hannover, Germany
Email: info@messe.de

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 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.