Autumn 2010 - Deutsch

in itiative
Issue 3 • Autumn 2010
1
The magazine for members of the German-British Chamber of Industry & Commerce
View from the regions
Midlands — “May you live
in interesting times”
Chris Everall, Chair of the Chamber’s
Midlands Regional Committee
SEE PAGE 4
britain INVESTS
SURVEY RESULTS
See pageS 12 & 13
European College of Business and Management
www.eurocollege.org.uk
Berufsbegleitende Programme:
• Bachelor of Arts (Hons) in Business and Management
• MBA
Teaching in Germany or London – Degrees fully accredited by British universities
initiative
Germany and the UK
appear to be singing from
the same hymn sheet
With the German economy growing
healthily in recent months, one might
get the impression that the worst of
the economic crisis is finally over. With
Germany, the largest economy in Europe,
often acting as a locomotive, many other European countries are
expected to follow her back on to a growth path shortly. Nevertheless,
we should all be a bit cautious as the sovereign debt crisis has not
gone away. In my opinion, only the UK government is taking credible,
immediate steps to get their house in order. Of course, these budget
cuts pose some uncertainty in the short term but they are necessary
to strengthen the medium to long term growth prospects of the
British economy.
Other European Union member states still need to learn the lesson that if
fiscal consolidation is not properly addressed, the medium term outlook
for any economy darkens substantially. Europe’s ageing societies need
to have solid finances otherwise the financial burden on an ever smaller
number of economically active people becomes unbearable. This in turn
leads to the brightest and most dynamic members of a society looking for
opportunities elsewhere, thereby exacerbating the situation.
Amongst the larger European nations, Germany and the UK, despite
being rather different in terms of the structure of their economies, appear
to be singing from the same hymn sheet. They could both show that
political intentions and statements are not the only way forward but,
perhaps more importantly, that practical co-operation and a meeting of
minds and actions are crucial to securing a successful future for every
European economy. As the time for grand projects appears to be over,
a new age of pragmatism could be a way forward for Europe and I hope
that the UK and Germany will be at the forefront over the coming years.
Dr Ulrich Hoppe
Director General, German-British Chamber of Industry & Commerce
CONTENTS
4 View from the regions – Chris Everall, Chair of the Chamber's
Midlands Regional Committee
5 CHAMBER AND MEMBERS’ NEWS
7 CHAMBER CONTACTS
8 EVENTS DIARY AND EVENTS CALENDAR
11 LEGAL COMMENT – Neues britisches Antibestechungsgesetz
12 BRITAIN INVESTS – Survey Results
14 BUSINESS TO BUSINESS – German businesses seeking
representation
15 Statistics & TOOLBOX
contents
sustaining members
3
4 VIEW FROM THE REGIONS
Midlands – “May you live
in interesting times”
Until recently I had believed that “may
you live in interesting times” was an
ancient Chinese curse that had been
quoted for millennia during periods
of turmoil. It turns out that the saying
was probably invented about 100
years ago by an Englishman who
propagated the myth that this was
ancient eastern wisdom.
has a proud tradition. Many local companies
have already taken advantage of the current
exchange rate to increase their sales, particularly
in Europe. Other companies that had not
previously considered international markets are
waking up to the possibilities and looking for
new opportunities, but are also facing the stark
reality that there are often large skills gaps in
their workforce that need to be filled. Training
existing staff and recruiting suitable candidates
to add the necessary skills to the business can
also be an “interesting” challenge.
However, the concept of living in interesting
times does seem to have a particular
resonance given the economic turbulence
of the past couple of years. Very few areas
in either the UK or Germany have escaped
unscathed, but in the West Midlands
in particular we have taken some hard
knocks to both the manufacturing and
service industries, earning ourselves the
unenviable title of Britain’s biggest credit
crunch “miserablists”. I cannot help thinking
that this is a little unfair. While we do have
a reputation for grumbling, we also have
a history of ingenuity, persistence and
industriousness in dealing with adversity.
As ever, transport links are high on the West
Midlands agenda. The final decision on the
proposed runway extension to Birmingham
International Airport is expected shortly and
this has provoked lively debate between the
business lobby who feel that non-stop flights
to cities in China, India and the US west coast
are long overdue, and environmental groups.
HS2, the proposed high-speed rail link between
London and Birmingham, is also a constant topic
in the Midlands press and the subject of much
debate. The prospect of almost halving the
current travel time to 49 minutes is undeniably
appealing and opens up improved opportunities
for rail travel from the Midlands to the
European continent.
International trade has been heralded as a
key driver for economic recovery and this
is certainly an area in which the Midlands
With typical Midlander scepticism, the recent
statistical evidence that business prospects are
improving for both UK and German companies
Chris Everall, Chair,
Midlands Regional
Committee,
German-British
Chamber of
Industry &
Commerce
is being viewed with some suspicion. At
the moment no-one is really sure how the
measures put forward by the new coalition
government will work out and what effect
they will have in the longer term on business.
However, amidst all the uncertainty of our
“interesting times” there is at least one
welcome constant: the tenth Frankfurt
Christmas Market opens in Birmingham on
18th November. As well as being the biggest
authentic Christmas market in the UK and a
thoroughly enjoyable fixture in the calendar,
it is also responsible for an economic boost
of around £90m to the local economy.
So here’s to the swift resolution of the current
economic vicissitudes and – as an apparently
genuine Chinese proverb says: “a gem is
not polished without rubbing, nor a man
perfected without trials”.
German-British Chamber
in the Midlands
3Chair: Chris Everall, Integra
Project Management
3Secretary: Nigel Wood,
The Wilkes Partnership
3Number of Members: 66
3Main Industries: Manufacturing,
Automotive and Business
Services
3Size of region: 11.049 sqm
(11.9% of UK total)*
3Population: 9.8 million
(9.85% of UK total)*
3Regional Gross Value Added
(GVA): 170.3 £bn (13.6%
of UK total)*
3Export Trade to UK: 17.3 £bn
(13.6% of UK total)*
*Source: Invest in the UK 2010
CHAMBER NEWS
Corporate Social Responsibility
Around 75 percent of companies
asked in an analysis among SMEs in
Germany, France and Poland, believe
in an increasing importance of
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)
in the future. This pattern is reflected
in the UK and other countries.
CSR should not just be an issue for top
level management but involvement
should be spread amongst all staff.
The InnoTrain CSR project aims to help
trainers and personnel managers to
involve all employees in identifying CSR
issues and building a strategy within
their organisation. By integrating CSR
knowledge in their own vocational
education and training activities, it is
hoped that companies will be able to
tackle this topic, which is often regarded
as a complex issue, in a more practiceorientated way.
In order to address these issues, the
German-British Chamber, with partners
around Europe, is developing innovative
educational and training modules that
Innotrain CSR project partner meeting in London
can used by personnel and training departments
in SMEs to introduce the subject of CSR and to
help develop a company CSR strategy. Through
the use of material on DVD, via the internet,
structured teaching modules and seminars, the
course offers a flexible way to approach the
subject in vocational and educational training.
Topics covered will include;
• the basics of business ethics
• reasons and drivers of CSR
• customer attitudes to CSR
• stakeholder relations
• dealing with critics
• value-orientated management
• CSR in the market place and in the community
• developing mission statements and
sustainability reports.
Key to the success of the project has been
identifying best-practice companies from
the partner countries, in order to promote
international benchmarking in CSR. The Chamber
has been delighted to work closely with member
firm Pritchard Englefield to highlight their CSR
work and best practice. Pritchard Englefield, a
firm of solicitors based in the City of London,
encourages their partners and staff to participate
in a multitude of voluntary work for a variety of
organisations. An educational film to highlight
some of their work has also been made
as part of the project. This will be used,
along with other videos of best practice
in Germany, Hungary and Portugal, to
highlight the different CSR approaches
of companies within Europe to form a
strategic overview.
For further information about the
project and details of how and when
the teaching material will be available,
please contact Ian Wivell at the Chamber
(i.wivell@ahk-london.co.uk).
The InnoTrain CSR project is funded
by the Leonardo da Vinci Transfer
of Innovation fund of the European
Union. The main project leader is
GILDE (Germany), the economic
development organisation for the
Detmold area. Together with the
Chamber and our colleagues at
the German-Hungarian Chamber
(Hungary), the project also involves
the training institutes Deutsche
Angestellten-Akademie (Germany),
CECOA (Portugal) and the
organisation Arbeitsgemeinschaft
Partnerschaft in der Wirtschaft
(Germany).
5
6 CHAMBER & MEMBERS’ NEWS
German-British Chamber and
RSM Tenon offer packaging
audit certification
The German-British Chamber and RSM Tenon
have teamed up to provide British companies
exporting consumer goods to Germany with advice
and a formal audit of their Certificate of Completeness.
This declaration is part of the German Packaging
Ordinance which ensures that consumer packaging is
collected from end users and forwarded for recycling.
British exporters with large amounts of packaging are
obliged to submit documented proof of compliance
detailing materials, tonnage and participation in one or
more dual systems. The Certificate of Completeness must
be audited by an external party, signed with a qualified
electronic signature recognised by German law and
submitted by 1 May every year to cover the previous year.
“Co-operating with RSM Tenon, we can now provide a
complete service to British companies exporting large
amounts of packaged consumer goods to Germany”,
says Ian Wivell, Deputy Director of the German-British
Chamber. Philip Coleman, International Contact director
of RSM Tenon, adds “We are one of only a few services
firms in the UK which hold an authorized electronic
signature necessary for submitting the Certificate of
Compliance to the German authorities.”
The German-British Chamber in London has been
advising British exporters for many years on how to
comply with the many aspects of the environmental
legislation. The Chamber works closely with compliance
schemes to give British exporters a real choice of systems.
RSM Tenon is a recognised leader in providing advice to
entrepreneurs and has tremendous depth in experience
of advising and supporting internationally active
businesses. If you would like more information or
advice on packaging regulations, please contact Ian
Wivell at the German-British Chamber (Tel. +44 (0)20
7976 4150, email: i.wivell@ahk-london.co.uk) or Phil
Coleman at RSM Tenon (Tel. +44 (0)7753 584991,
email: Philip.coleman@rsmtenon.com).
CLS Communication offers new
service tailored to German clients
Earlier this year, member company CLS expanded its financial and
corporate copywriting operation with a new service tailored to the needs
of German companies in the UK. CLS’s writers have expertise in working
with international corporations to manage their multilingual communication
needs — helping them launch complex new products into wholesale and retail
markets, for instance, or to make an impact with their message online.
The new service leverages this expertise. CLS Communication Ltd recently
moved its offices to London Bridge, bringing it closer to the City, where
many of its clients are based. www.cls-communication.com
Smith & Williamson establishes International
Corporate Tax Group
Smith & Williamson has established a new group specialising in
international corporate tax. The team have a wealth of experience
in helping businesses to reduce tax cost, mitigate risk, recover overpaid
tax and ensure compliance across all jurisdictions. Companies that would
like to ensure tax efficiency across the business, whether they are looking
to set up overseas or already have a business there, can find further
information online: www.smith.williamson.co.uk/business-tax
Aybrook Summit Reception
The development of the financial crisis and the impact of
the recently announced Basel III rules were major topics at
Aybrook Financial Partners annual summit reception, which was held
on 15 September in the City of London. The event brought together
representatives of the German and Austrian banking and insurance
industry with traders, fund managers and investors. Following a
keynote speech on the likely effects of the developing banking
regulations on the German banking landscape in general and the
corporate world in particular, one of the discussion threads assessed
the need for a change from a mainly bank debt funding culture towards
a far more equity oriented regime. The impact of the sovereign crisis
on the Euro and the German mortgage banking and Landesbanken
sector as well as the capital drain resulting from the expected rating
migration of risk assets were other hot topics. www.aybrook.com
Insider tips for Search
Engine Optimisation
Maintaining a strong
internet presence is
a challenge for any
company – especially when entering the UK market with
its own branding and online requirements. New member
company Internet-Experts-Live.com has published
a handbook on how to attract UK customers online.
Specifically dedicated to search engine optimisation, social
media marketing and customer conversion, the book is
targeted mainly towards German companies wishing to
achieve a strong position in English speaking online markets.
www.internet-experts-live.com
Rolf Steffens, Ulrich Dunkelberg, Dr Ulrich Hoppe, Annika Czybulka,
Dr Ana de Corbavia-Perisic, Stefan Gütter and Sven Patrick Maier
CHAMBER CONTACTS
Round-up of Chamber events
The German-British
Chamber was delighted
to host the 22nd Annual Golf
Tournament at Stoke Park,
Buckinghamshire, on 16 June.
Over 20 participants enjoyed a sun
filled day of golf as well as an evening
awards ceremony with dinner. This
year’s winner was Christoph Hamm
of Heussen-Law Munich.
CHAMBER CONTACTS
Honorary Officers /
Präsidium und Vorstand
Patron / Schirmherr
HE Georg Boomgaarden
Ambassador of the Federal
Republic of Germany
President / Präsident
Sir Nigel Broomfield, KCMG
Vice-Presidents / Vizepräsidenten
George W von Mallinckrodt, KBE
Schroders plc
Barry Stickings, CBE
Gerhard Storch
On Thursday, 1 July member company
Baker Tilly Tax and Accounting Limited
hosted a seminar at the GermanChristoph Hamm
British Chamber in London. Some 30
members were given an update on “Tax and the New Politics – a UK Budget
round-up”, by Gill Salmons of Baker Tilly. After the seminar, participants
used the opportunity to network and talk to the speakers.
Councillors / Vorstandsmitglieder
The Midlands committee of the German-British Chamber welcomed
some 60 members and guests to a Summer Reception at Hotel du Vin in
Birmingham on 8 July. The evening gave the opportunity for the Midlands
business community to exchange contacts and ideas. The East Midlands
region hosted their Summer Reception a month earlier, on 15 June,
sponsored by the East Midlands Development Agency. Around 40 guests
enjoyed networking opportunities at Fellows Morton and Clayton Bar.
Andreas Berger
Allianz Global
Corporate & Specialty
The Midlands region committee organised a business luncheon on 8
October 2010 in Birmingham. Around 60 guests listened to a keynote
speech by Mr Klaus Hammer, Chief Operating Officer Gas-CCGT at E.ON
Generation GmbH. Mr Hammer talked about developments at E.ON
and initiatives currently being undertaken, including low carbon projects,
recent joint ventures as well as working with communities to improve
energy efficiency.
Chairman / Vorsitzender
Alan Wood, CBE
Siemens Holdings plc
Vice-Chairperson / Stellv. Vorsitzende
Patricia Godfrey
Nabarro
Councillors / Vorstandsmitglieder
Johannes Anschott
Commerzbank AG
Robert A Bischof
Vitalize Health Products Ltd
Martin Dawkins
Bayer plc
Dr Klaus Peter Fouquet
Robert Bosch Ltd
Dr Stefan Georg
Bayern LB, London Branch
Andreas Goss
Siemens plc
Dr Ulrich Hoppe
German-British Chamber of
Industry & Commerce
Chris J Maidment
PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP
Klaus J Rudolph
Boehringer Ingelheim Ltd
Marianne Sammann
Lufthansa German Airlines
Franz W Smet
ACI Group Ltd
Wilfried Steffen
Mercedes-Benz UK Ltd
Nigel R Wood
The Wilkes Partnership
Marcus Wuest
Deutsche Bank AG, London
Company Secretary
Chris Putt
Speechly Bircham LLP
Honorary Auditors
PKF (UK) LLP
Management / Geschäftsführung
Dr Ulrich Hoppe
Director General /
Hauptgeschäftsführer
Tel: +44 (0)20 7976 4110
Klaus Hammer (second from right) with Dr Ulrich Hoppe, Chris Everall
and Nigel Wood of the German-British Chamber
Thesy Lobitzer
PA to Director General / Assistentin
des Hauptgeschäftsführers
Tel: +44 (0)20 7976 4112
Finance & Organisation
Sabine Marland
Manager Finance & Organisation /
Finanzen und Organisation
Tel: +44 (0)20 7976 4120
Michaela Böttcher
Finance & Organisation /
Finanzen und Organisation
Tel: +44 (0)20 7976 4187
Marketing Services
Ian Wivell
Deputy Director General / stellv.
Hauptgeschäftsführer
Head of Marketing Services /
Leiter Marketing Services
Tel: +44 (0)20 7976 4150
Sven Riemann
Manager Marketing Services
Tel: +44 (0)20 7976 4185
Marguerite McCaughan
Marketing Services
Tel: +44 (0)20 7976 4183
Jana Lindner
Press & Public Relations /
Presse- & Öffentlichkeitsarbeit
Tel: +44 (0)20 7976 4188
Members’ Services
Evelyn Mensah
Manager Membership & Events /
Mitgliedschaft & Veranstaltungen
Tel: +44 (0)20 7976 4145
Nourra Bojanowska
Membership & Events /
Mitgliedschaft & Veranstaltungen
Tel: +44 (0)20 7976 4146
Legal & Tax Services / Rechtsund Steuerabteilung
Angelika Baumgarte
Deputy Director General / stellv.
Hauptgeschäftsführerin
Head of Legal & Tax Services / Leiterin
der Rechts- und Steuerabteilung
Tel: +44 (0)20 7976 4140
Martin Fischer
Manager Legal Services /
Rechtsabteilung
Tel: +44 (0)20 7976 4141
Alexander Altmann
Manager Tax Services /
Steuerabteilung
Tel: +44 (0)20 7976 4166
Anja Reeves
Manager Tax Services / Steuerabteilung
Tel: +44 (0)20 7976 4161
Nastaran Amidi
Michael Dickert
Verena Gronewold
Christopher Otto
Katrin Voran
Tax Services / Steuerabteilung
Tel: +44 (0)20 7976 4160
For details of the Chamber’s
regional committees please email
members@ahk-london.co.uk
7
8 events diary
Annual dinner 2010
The Annual Dinner of the German-British Chamber was held on Thursday,
9 June 2009 at the Landmark Hotel, London.
Some 250 guests attended the event. As ever a summer highlight in
the Chamber’s events dairy, members of the German-British business
community welcomed the opportunity to network at the Drinks
Reception followed by a three-course meal in the Grand Ballroom.
Guest of Honour at this year’s dinner was Peter Löscher, President and
Chief Executive Officer of Siemens AG. Mr Löscher gave an engaging
speech about the development of Siemens from their beginnings in the
19th century to their visions about future technologies.
Mr John Leech and Mr Andy Argyle of KPMG LLP
Mr Johannes Anschott of Commerzbank AG London Branch,
Mr Thomas Kusterer of EDF Energy and Mr Armin Brestrich of
KfW IPEX-Bank GmbH London Branch
Mr Nigel Bubb of Vodafone Global Enterprise, Ms Marianne
Sammann of Lufthansa German Airlines and Mr Udo Wolf
Ms Louise Gardiner of Morisons LLP and
Ms Judi Chadaway of scarlett2
Mr Markus Pertl of SCCO International
Ltd, Mr Markus Wuest of Deutsche
Bank London and Mr Martin
Dawkins of Bayer plc
events diary
Mr Klaus Rudolph of Boehringer Ingelheim Ltd, Mrs Gunnel Weiler
and Mr Uwe Weiler
Mr Jan Hoppe of Gregory Rowcliffe Milners, Ms Tina Kaiser of "Die Welt/
Welt am Sonntag", Mr Nigel Wood of The Wilkes Partnership and
Mr Chris Putt of Speechly Bircham LLP
AUTUMN RECEPTION 2010
On Thursday, 23 September 2009, around 150 members and guests
enjoyed the German-British Chamber’s Autumn Reception. New and
old acquaintances used the opportunity to refresh contacts after
the summer break over a selection of German beers. Giles Travel Ltd
kindly sponsored the raffle and presented the proud winner with a
hamper basket of treats.
Mr Nick Stanforth of Liebich & Partner AG, Ms Helen Pflug of
Pacific Brands and Mr Kersten Janik of Liebich & Partner AG
Mr Andrew Phillips of Giles Travel Ltd and Ms Christine
Turner of Türner & Co, proud winner of the raffle
9
10 EVENTS / Events Calendar
EVENTS
CALENDAR
Thursday 9 December 2010
Members’ Christmas Party
Venue: German-British Chamber of Industry &
Commerce, 16 Buckingham Gate, London SW1E 6LB
Time: 6.00 pm – 8.30 pm
Cost: Complimentary – For members and
their guests only
Further information and registration:
www.germanbritishchamber.co.uk
Thursday 6 January 2011
Members’ New Year’s Reception
Mr Ian Thomson and Ms Katie Thomas of Geldards LLP with Mr Mike
Flood of bmi British Midland Airways Ltd
Venue: German-British Chamber of Industry &
Commerce, 16 Buckingham Gate, London SW1E 6LB
Time: 11.00 am – 1.00 pm
Cost: Complimentary – For members and
their guests only
Further information and registration:
www.germanbritishchamber.co.uk
Tuesday 1 February 2011
‘Data Protection — Is Your Business
Compliant?’ A Member’s Seminar
with Preiskel & Co LLP
Venue: German-British Chamber of Industry &
Commerce, 16 Buckingham Gate, London SW1E 6LB
Time: 5.15 pm – 6.30 pm, followed by
drinks and canapés
Cost: Complimentary
Further information and registration:
www.germanbritishchamber.co.uk
Ms Carolina Jönsson and Ms Kate Service of Enlink Ltd with Ms Nickta
Parandeh and Mr Thilo Schneider of Pritchard Englefield
Friday 11 February 2011
Business Luncheon
Guest of Honour and Speaker:
Malcolm Harbour MEP
Member of the European Parliament
for the West Midlands, UK
Chairman of the Internal Market and
Consumer Protection Committee
Venue: Opus Restaurant, 54 Cornwall Street,
Birmingham B3 2DE
Time: 12.30 pm for 1.00 pm
Cost: tba
Further information and registration:
www.germanbritishchamber.co.uk
Ms Antje Hornburg of ASB Internship
Solutions and Ms Maryline Mbongo of
Moving Home Company Ltd
Please see our website for
registrations and updates on events:
www.germanbritishchamber.co.uk
legal comment
Advertise
in initiative
Initiative magazine is the perfect
vehicle to reach decision makers
connected to the German-British
Chamber both here in the UK and
in Germany.
Neues britisches
Antibestechungsgesetz
verabschiedet
Im Vereinigten Königreich wurde im April 2010 ein neues
Antibestechungsgesetz (Bribery Act 2010) verabschiedet, das voraussichtlich
zum April 2011 in Kraft treten wird. Unternehmen, die Geschäfte im Vereinigten
Königreich betreiben oder außerhalb in einer englischen Gesellschaftsform tätig sind,
sollten sich über die Tragweite des neuen Gesetzes im Klaren sein.
As well as reaching clients and
partners of the Chamber, the
magazine is read by key people in
government departments, associations and other companies within the
German-British business community.
Published three times a year with a targeted circulation of
1,500 you can be sure that your advert will be highly visible
as we restrict advertising space.
You can buy half, quarter and whole pages… or for maximum
exposure, exclusive sponsorship of one issue (members only),
which includes two one-page adverts and a one-page article
(page 11) plus a suitable ‘company picture’ (1/2 page) on the
front cover.
To discuss your advertising needs in detail, please contact:
Jana Lindner
German-British Chamber of Industry
& Commerce
16 Buckingham Gate
London SW1E 6LB
Tel: +44 (0)20 7976 4188
Fax: +44 (0)20 7976 4101
Email: press@ahk-london.co.uk
Denn Unternehmen droht eine Geldstrafe in unbegrenzter Höhe und
natürlichen Personen eine Freiheitsstrafe von bis zu zehn Jahren. Darüber
hinaus kann unter Umständen ein Ausschluss von öffentlichen Aufträgen
erfolgen, was unter Umständen die härteste Konsequenz sein kann.
Der Bribery Act 2010 ersetzt Englands altes und viel kritisiertes
Antibestechungsgesetz durch ein neues umfassendes Gesetz, das im
weltweiten Vergleich eine der strengsten Regelungen aufweist. Nach ersten
Einschätzungen reicht die neue Gesetzgebung weiter als der U.S. Foreign
Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA – Gesetz zur Bekämpfung internationaler Korruption)
und wird daher bei zahlreichen Unternehmen eine Revision bestehender
Praktiken nach sich ziehen.
Strafbar ist die Zahlung und Annahme von Bestechung. Auch die Bestechung
ausländischer Amtspersonen wird unter Strafe gestellt. Schließlich – und
das ist die bedeutendste Abweichung von der alten Regelung – können
Unternehmen bereits dann bestraft werden, wenn sie Bestechung nicht
verhindern. Unternehmen werden daher verschärfte Maßnahmen zur
Verhinderung von Bestechung ergreifen und Abläufe überprüfen müssen.
Mit dem neuen Bribery Act wird das zentrale Konzept der improper performance
eingeführt. Die gesetzlichen Begriffsbestimmungen hierzu sind komplex und
bewusst weit gefasst. Viele Fragen werden daher erst durch Entscheidungen
der Gerichte geklärt werden müssen.
initiative is the official membership magazine of the German-British Chamber
and is published three times a year.
Publisher:
German-British Chamber
of Industry & Commerce
16 Buckingham Gate, London SW1E 6LB
Tel: +44 (0)20 7976 4100
Fax: +44 (0)20 7976 4101
Email: mail@ahk-london.co.uk
Web: www.ahk-london.co.uk
11
Editorial & Advertising
Jana Lindner
Tel: +44 (0)20 7976 4188
Email: press@ahk-london.co.uk
The reproduction in whole or in part of any material published in initiative
requires the prior written consent of the publisher. The publisher cannot accept
any liability for the accuracy or the completeness of any material published in
initiative. Opinions expressed in initiative do not necessarily reflect the views
of the German-British Chamber.
The German-British Chamber of Industry & Commerce is supported by the
Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology in accordance with a Resolution
of the German Parliament.
Besonders umstritten ist die Einführung des Straftatbestandes, wonach sich
wirtschaftliche Organisationen bereits dann strafbar machen, wenn sie ihre
Verpflichtung zur Verhinderung von Bestechung nicht erfüllen. Diese neue
Regelung wird die aktuellen Vorschriften hinsichtlich der Zurechnung von
Handlungen im Zusammenhang mit einer Bestechung deutlich verändern. Im
Anwendungsbereich des bislang geltenden Antibestechungsgesetzes macht sich
eine Gesellschaft nur dann strafbar, wenn die Chefetage daran beteiligt ist. Nach
der neuen Regelung kann sich eine Gesellschaft bereits dann einer Bestechung
schuldig machen, wenn überhaupt niemand innerhalb der Gesellschaft von
der Bestechung weiß. Die Gesellschaft kann sich nur exkulpieren, indem sie
angemessene Vorkehrungen zur Verhinderung nachweist. Dabei haben sich
diese Maßnahmen nicht nur auf Angestellte zu beziehen. Vielmehr müssen auch
Bestechungen von Handelsvertretern oder Dritten, die Dienstleistungen für das
Unternehmen erbringen, verhindert werden. Von besonderer Bedeutung ist
schließlich die Ausdehnung der Strafbarkeit auf Handlungen, die von Briten oder
britischen Gesellschaften im Ausland vorgenommen werden.
Die Regierung wird voraussichtlich nach dem Jahreswechsel einen Leitfaden
für ein angemessenes Compliance-System für Unternehmen bekannt geben.
Zusammenfassend lässt sich sagen, dass die neue Regelung erheblichen Druck
auf Unternehmen ausübt, adäquate Compliance-Systeme zu implementieren,
beziehungsweise ihre bestehenden Abläufe zu überarbeiten.
Angelika Baumgarte / Dr Michaela Stollfuß
Legal Services, German-British Chamber of Industry & Commerce
12 BRITAIN invests
Britain Invests
Trends and Views on Direct Investment by British Companies in Germany
The German-British Chamber of Industry & Commerce promotes trade and investment between the United Kingdom and Germany. Building on its
role to inform the wider economic and political world about British-German trade and investment, the Chamber carried out its second survey on
the trends and views of British subsidiaries in Germany. Investigating factors such as market focus and trends in future developments, UK parent
companies with operations in Germany completed a comprehensive questionnaire. The results highlight the current trends in direct investment by
British companies in Germany.
III Impact of the current economic climate
I Sectoral distribution of British companies
Companies in the business services sector are the most important
investors in Germany and this sector has grown by 9 per cent since
our last survey in 2008. The cluster “other manufacturing” is also
important and contains Sector
variousDistribution
industry sectors, among them fast
consumer goods and the construction industry.
The impact of the current economic climate for British subsidiaries in
Germany seems to have had less negative effects than for their German
counterparts in the UK. A third of the companies state that they have
been not affected at allImpact
(compared
to 18downturn
per cent
economic
of German companies in the UK).
Positively affected 3%
Other categories
6%
Other
manufacturing
21%
Not at all
affected
27%
Mechanical
and
electrical
engineering
15%
Wholesale/
Logistics 9%
Business
services
35%
Very severely
affected
52%
Financial services
6%
Severely
affected 18%
IT &
telecommunications
equipment 8%
II Main activity of British subsidiaries in Germany
Compared to 2008, the main activities have remained largely
unchanged. However, due the current economic climate it is
possible to see a shift from research and development activities
Main Activity
to manufacturing and sales.
IV Unique selling proposition of British companies
in Germany
Since our last survey, an increased number of British companies in
Germany see service as their unique selling point (2008: 31%, 2009:
45%). While quality is still important, only 37 per cent of companies
Unique selling point
see it as their main selling point (2008: 50%).
Other 6%
Research and
Development 13%
Manufacturing
22%
Location 3%
Services
27%
Price 9%
Quality 37%
Service 45%
Sales and
distribution
38%
BRITAIN invests
13
Company Performance UK
VII Company Performance compared to other
German companies in the same industry sector
V Profitability
On average, British subsidiaries reach profitability within three years.
Only eight per cent have not yet reached this point, mainly because
Profitability
they have just started operations.
As in 2008, the majority of British subsidiaries state that their labour
productivity and financial performance is as good or better than their
German counterparts’.
70%
Not yet 8%
63%
60%
…after 7
years 6%
59%
Labour Productivity
Financial Performance
50%
…after 1
year 38%
40%
31%
30%
22%
…after 5
years 19%
20%
10%
6%
0%
0%
3%
0%
greatly above
average
above
average
average
below
average
VIII Future trends — Opportunities
…after 3
years 29%
Compared to 2008 (92%), fewer British subsidiaries companies seem to
see a continued growth of the GermanOpportunities
economy as an opportunity (66%).
However, Germany with its central European location and its availability of
a skilled work force are now seen as valuable factors for future expansion.
VI Reasons for investing in Germany
70%
When investing in Germany, market driven factors are still the main
reasons, with the overall importance of Europe’s largest economy and
the aim to increase their market share being the most important ones.
Investing
reasons
A significantly increasing
factor
seems to be the availability of a skilled
work force in Germany (2008: 12%, 2009: 42%).
66%
60%
59%
50%
40%
28%
30%
25%
22%
20%
10%
Target increase in market share in Germany
3%
Overall importance of Germany as a market
0%
Location in
Continued
Central
growth of the
German economy Europe
Labour skills
80%
76%
Economic power
76%
Technology
Export potential with Germany as an export
base for Western Europe
70%
Export potential with Germany
as an export base for Eastern Europe
60%
42%
Other
In 2008, a rise of labour costs and a shortage of skills were the major
threats to British subsidiaries. However,Threats
due to the economic recession,
most British subsidiaries today see the lack of local demand as the
major threat.
42%
30%
30%
70%
66%
60%
20%
15%
0%
Advantageous
operating
costs
IV Future trends — Threats
40%
10%
Broadening
skills
availability/
labour
market
flexibility
Other reasons
50%
30%
Increase in
infrastructure
investment
50%
6%
40%
31%
30%
28%
19%
20%
9%
10%
9%
0%
Lack of local
demand
Increase of
regulations
Lack of
flexibility
Shortage of
labour skills
Lack of
Lengthening
governmental supply chain/
assistance
geographical
distance
14 business to business
initiative provides a regular listing of companies in both the UK
and Germany who are seeking B2B partners and representatives
Business Partners from Germany / Geschäftspartner aus Deutschland
La Siesta – The World of The Hammock
As a specialist in the hammock industry, La Siesta (www.lasiesta.com)
has become a premium brand with products that satisfy the highest
demands on quality. Our sales are equally strong in the outdoor, gift
and children sector. We work with retailers, sophisticated garden
centres, catalogue senders and online shops. We are looking for a
distributor with good contacts to this customer base. Ideally you
would be able to handle all logistics for our/your business customers
and consumers in the UK. For further information please contact: Ms
Buschmann, La Siesta GmbH, Im Wiesenweg 4, 55270 Jugenheim,
Germany; Tel: 0049 (0)6130 911919, Fax: 0049 (0)6130 911910,
Email: info@lasiesta.com, Web: www.lasiesta.com
Centrifugal Castings: Reliable Steel
Solutions
German foundry specialized in centrifugal casting of high-grade
steel parts looks for an agent for Great Britain. Product-line includes
corrosion, acid, heat, wear and tear resistant materials manufactured
according to DIN, ASTM or customer specifications. No fixed price –
or stock list, because every component is manufactured according
to customers design. A significant number of European steel
processing companies belong to our clientele and benefit from our
50 years of experience. For further information, please contact: Mr
Peter Mönsters, Klaus Kuhn Edelstahlgießerei GmbH, OttoHahn-Straße 12-14, 42477 Radevormwald, Germany. Tel: +49
(0)2195 671 – 930; Fax: +49 (0) 2185 671 – 49; Web: www.kuhnedelstahl.de; Email: p.moensters@kuhn-edelstahl.com
Industrial Process-Machinery
Manufacturer
German machine manufacturer of high-quality demanding products
is looking for a sales representative to establish local presence on the
UK market. Task area: Acquisition of new customers and support of our
clients, counseling of the whole product range, acquisition of market
data. The agent should provide technical product knowledge for
example in pumps or similar products as well as existing contacts to
potential customers. For further information, please quote ref:
DP-0318912 and contact: Marguerite McCaughan, German-British
Chamber of Industry & Commerce, 16 Buckingham Gate,
London, SW1E 6LB, Tel: +44 (0)20 7976 4183, Fax: +44 (0)20
7976 4101, Email: partner.search@ahk-london.co.uk
Sanitary Installation
Our innovative and well designed products, which allow for fast and
easy installation, have built the foundation for MEPA’s strong and
healthy growth. We are now looking for a sales representative for the
UK. Your know-how in new customer acquisition is much soughtafter. You have completed your technical and/or retail training and
have several years of professional experience in marketing sanitary
products and knowledge of the industry. For further information,
please contact: Ms Helga Bühler, Mepa Pauli und Menden GmbH,
Rolandsecker Weg 38, 53619 Rheinbreitbach, Germany.
Tel: +49 / 22 24 - 929 161, Fax: +49 / 22 24 - 929 169,
Web: www.mepa.de, Email: h.buehler@mepa.de,
statistics & toolbox
TOOLBOX
Photovoltaikmarkt
in Großbritannien
wird attraktiver!
Um in den Genuss der Vergütungen zu kommen, muss die Anlage
jedoch ein Zertifikat entsprechend dem „Microgeneration Certification
Scheme“ besitzen. Dieses soll für den Endverbraucher sicherstellen,
dass sowohl die Anlage als auch der Installateur bestimmten Standards
entsprechen. Für Unternehmen, die ihre Aktivitäten in den britischen
Markt erweitern wollen, ist daher eine Zertifizierung erforderlich.
Weitere Informationen finden sich auf der folgenden Webseite:
www.microgenerationcertification.org
Seit der Einführung von Einspeisetarifen für erneuerbare
Energien hat sich die Zahl der installierten Photovoltaikanlagen
in Großbritannien vervielfacht. Obwohl die jährliche
Sonneneinstrahlung hierzulande etwa sechs Prozent niedriger
liegt als in Deutschland, wurde allein durch die staatlich gesteuerte
Erhöhung der Attraktivität einer PV-Anlage im Juni 2010 mehr
Kapazität neu installiert als im gesamten Jahr 2009.
Für private Haushalte, die Interesse an der Installation einer PVAnlage haben, gibt es weitere Fördermöglichkeiten. Umfang und
Modalitäten können jedoch je nach Wohnort und Lebenssituation
unterschiedlich sein. Näheres ist beim Energy Savings Trust zu erfahren:
www.energysavingstrust.org.uk.
Die Einspeisetarife für Solarenergie haben eine Laufzeit von 25 Jahren.
Sie wurden zunächst für drei Jahre festgesetzt, eine Neuregelung
erfolgt 2013.
Der Photovoltaikmarkt in Großbritannien steckt noch in den
Kinderschuhen und wirft relativ geringe Renditen ab. Mit der Schaffung
von verschiedenen Anreizen durch die britische Regierung ergibt
sich jedoch ein beträchtliches Wachstumspotenzial und somit gute
Investitionsmöglichkeiten auch für deutsche Unternehmen der Branche.
Mit diesen Rahmenbedingungungen ist bereits jetzt ein signifikantes
Marktwachstum zu verzeichnen. Dieses wird in Zukunft weiter zunehmen,
da PV-Anlagen einfacher zu planen sind und ihre Amortisierungszeiten
einfacher zu kalkulieren sind.
Größenordnung der PV-Anlage
Sven Riemann, Marketing Manager, German-British Chamber of Industry
& Commerce
Vergütungstarife für neue PV-Installationen (pence/kWh)
Jahr 1:
1.4.2010 bis 31.3.2011
36,1
41,3
36,1
31,4
29,3
29,3
bis zu 4 kW (Neubau)
bis zu 4 kW (Nachrüstung)
4 bis 10 kW
10 bis 100 kW
100 kW bis 5MW
Einzelanlagen
Jahr 2:
1.4.2011 bis 31.3.2012
Jahr 3:
1.4.2012 bis 31.3.2013
36,1
41,3
36,1
31,4
29,3
29,3
33,0
37,8
33,0
28,7
26,8
26,8
Quelle: Department of Energy & Climate Change (DECC), 2010
8
6
4
2
0
-2
-4
-6
-8
-10
-12
-14
-16
Gross Domestic
Germany
Product for Germany
Quarterly annualised
growth rates projections
Q4
20
11
Q3
Q2
11
20
20
11
Q1
Q4
20
11
Q3
10
20
20
10
Q2
Q1
20
10
Q4
20
10
Q3
09
20
20
09
Q2
Q1
20
09
Q4
09
20
20
08
Q3
Q2
08
20
08
20
8
6
4
2
0
-2
-4
-6
-8
-10
-12
-14
-16
Gross Domestic
Product for the
United
Kingdom
United Kingdom
Quarterly annualised
growth rates projections
Q4
11
Q3
20
11
11
Q2
20
Q1
20
Q4
11
20
10
Q3
10
20
Q2
20
Q1
10
20
Q4
10
20
09
Q3
09
20
Q2
20
Q1
09
20
09
Q4
08
20
Q3
20
Q2
08
20
20
08
Q1
Source: OECD 2010
20
Growth rate
20
08
Q1
Source: OECD 2010
08
Growth rate
statistics
15
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Wir sprechen Ihre Sprache
Blick Rothenberg is a leading, London based
accounting, audit and tax practice. Together
with our outsourced accounting company
BRAL Limited, we have a substantial German
speaking team that specialises in assisting
German companies entering and operating
within the UK market.
Blick Rothenberg ist eine führende Buchhaltungs-, Wirtschaftsprüfungs- und Steuerberatungsfirma mit Sitz in London. Gemeinsam mit unserer Tochterfirma BRAL, die eine
ausgelagerte Buchhaltung anbietet, haben
wir ein großes deutschsprachiges Team, das
darauf spezialisiert ist, deutschen Firmen zu
assistieren, die auf den britischen Markt wollen oder dort bereits tätig sind.
With 23 partners and directors and 160 staff,
we have exceptional experience and expertise
in all the major financial disciplines. We offer a
comprehensive service to aid early stage set-up
or large scale expansion, supported by a range
of outsourced accounting and administration
services.
For further information, or to receive our
English or German ‘Establishing a Business
in the UK’ guide, please contact:
Steven Bruck
T: +44 (0)20 7544 8970
E: steven.bruck@blickrothenberg.com
Mit 23 Teilhabern und Direktoren und 160 Mitarbeitern haben wir außergewöhnliche Erfahrung und Kompetenz in allen wichtigen
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Buchhaltung bis hin zur Verwaltung, der der
Unterstützung bei Ersteinrichtung oder weit reichender Expansion dienlich ist.
Wenn Sie unseren Leitfaden „Geschäftsgründung in GB“ erhalten wollen, oder weitere Informationen benötigen, wenden Sie
sich bitte an:
Steven Bruck
T: +44 (0)20 7544 8970
E: steven.bruck@blickrothenberg.com
www.blickrothenberg.com
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