The German-Belgian Desk of our law firm advises companies on the legal aspects of foreign business in Belgium and Germany. In Germany, our offices are located in Aachen and Cologne, in Belgium in Liège, Verviers and Welkenraedt.

The lawyers of the German-Belgian Desk are authorized to provide legal advice and representation in court in both Germany and Belgium.

With its approximately 11 million inhabitants, Belgium is the ninth-largest trading partner of Germany. Both countries are important sales markets for each other. Companies from both countries have a strong presence in the German and Belgian markets.

Our services include advice on how to establish a market presence abroad, whether through international trade and service agreements or, for example, through authorized dealers or commercial agents. In doing so, it is not only necessary to draft the contracts in accordance with the customs of international trade law, but also to secure the market position via industrial property rights, in particular trademarks and licenses on the respective foreign market. This is particularly important in the case of franchising and direct marketing.

A sustainable presence in the respective foreign market can also be established by a dependent branch in the form of a permanent establishment of the company or by an independent branch by founding or acquiring a company in the respective target market, usually in the legal form of a GmbH or stock corporation. We support you here as a project service provider, not only by taking over the drafting of contracts, but also by assisting companies in the selection of a suitable location, the acquisition or leasing of real estate and the hiring of employees, etc.

We also have extensive experience in the field of internet-based distance selling and international mail order.

We have a network of excellent service providers in Belgium (notaries, tax consultants, auditors, social secretariats, real estate agents) with whom we have been working successfully for more than twenty years. This also applies to our cooperation with a selected network of Belgian lawyers through our EEIG MERCATORIUS, because specialization in German-Belgian commercial law does not mean that we want to be active in every field of law ourselves. In the field of labor and social law, tax law, tenancy law or administrative and commercial criminal law, we call in Belgian specialists as required and in consultation with the client, but we also act as coordinators and contacts for the interests of our clients in the sense of competent project management.

Due to our admission as lawyers in Germany and Belgium, we can guarantee the representation of our clients in legal disputes in both countries, nationwide before all courts of first and second instance. Our clients have the advantage of commissioning a law firm that not only has a command of German and Belgian civil procedural law, but also has first-hand knowledge and experience of the local conditions. In addition, we are familiar with international private and civil procedure law, which, in accordance with European law, is the essential interface for legal questions with foreign implications.

The examination of the places of jurisdiction that come into question in the event of a legal dispute and of the law applicable in the specific case is carried out without prejudice to the outcome, because those who are able to conduct proceedings in both countries can draft a procedural tactic in accordance with the interests of the client. To conduct a lawsuit abroad can be advantageous with regard to different jurisdiction, rules of evidence, costs or duration of proceedings.

The German-Belgian Desk is headed by lawyer Guido Imfeld.

We would be pleased to advise you.