UPDATE: German Business and Commercial Laws – Guide to Translations into English and Select Auxiliary Sources

By Dr. Sebastian Omlor

Dr. Sebastian Omlor is Professor of Law and Director of the Institute for Comparative Law at theUniversity of Marburg School of Law, Germany. He holds a master’s degree in EU law (2008) and a PhD degree in corporate law (Dr. iur., 2009) from Saarland University, Germany, and a master’s degree from NYU School of Law (2012).

Published January/February 2022

(Previously updated in September 2012 and in May/June 2017)

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Table of Contents

1. Introduction

As more business is conducted cross-border and globally, there is a growing demand for translations of business and commercial laws. This compilation is intended for people involved in international legal and business transactions, students, translators, and anyone else who might be interested in locating English translations of German business and commercial laws. Included are translations in print format and those available on the World Wide Web without, however, making a claim to completeness. In addition, this bibliography points to related sources in English providing background information on the economic and legal environment for doing business in Germany, and to a number of useful tools, such as dictionaries of business and legal terms, both in print and online. Also included for reference purposes is a selection of links to major legal websites in the German vernacular. Brief source descriptions have been provided wherever the authors have had a chance to look at the materials. Currency has been a major priority, but not so recent sources have been included for reference purposes as well. When using or referring to these materials, it needs to be borne in mind that they may be out of date, incomplete, or, in the worst of cases, incorrect. Hence, it stands to reason to check their origin and currency or consult an expert in German law on any substantive issues involved.

2. Translations

2.1. Compilations of Business and Commercial Laws

2.2. General Private and Commercial Law

2.2.1. Civil Code/Code of Civil Procedure

2.2.2. Commercial Code

2.2.3. Industrial and Intellectual Property Law

For further legislative texts relating to German industrial and intellectual property law see the World Intellectual Property Organization's (WIPO) Website under Collection of Laws for Electronic Access (CLEA)/Legislative Texts/Germany.

2.2.4. Insolvency Law

3. Business Organization

3.1. Company Law

The Germany Cooperative Societies Act - Available in English translation on the Website of NATLEX, a continuously updated database of the ILO (International Labour Organisation) containing references to over 55,000 national laws on labour, social security, and related human rights.

3.2. Corporate Tax Law

3.3. Labor Law

3.4. Takeover of Companies

4. Business Regulation

4.1. Accounting Law

4.2. Antitrust Law

4.3. Banking Law/Financial Markets/Negotiable Instruments

4.4. Insurance Law

4.5. Environmental Law/Energy Law

4.6. Foreign Trade Law

4.7. Other (Including Industry-Specific Laws)

5. German Business and Commercial Laws in the Vernacular – Major Websites

6. Business and Commercial Law Guides / Handbooks

6.1. General Business Law Guides

6.2. General Private and Commercial Law

6.2.1. Agency Law

6.2.2. Industrial and Intellectual Property Law

6.2.3. Real Property Law/Business Tenancies

6.3. Business Organization

6.3.1. Corporate Taxation

6.3.2. Labor Law

6.3.3. Mergers and Acquisitions/Takeover of Companies

6.3.4. Business Regulation

Antitrust/Competition Law

Banking Law

Foreign Trade Law

Energy Law

7. General Business Information Sources

7.1. General Information Sources about Doing Business in Germany

7.2. Company Directories

7.3. Online Attorney Directories (Selection)

8.1. Dictionaries in Print Format

8.2. Online Dictionaries and Translating Aids

9. Alphabetical Index of Law Available in Translation

9.1. English–German

9.2. German–English