Autumn 2010 - Deutsch
Transcription
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 ([email protected]). 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: [email protected]) or Phil Coleman at RSM Tenon (Tel. +44 (0)7753 584991, email: [email protected]). 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 [email protected] 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: [email protected] 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: [email protected] Web: www.ahk-london.co.uk 11 Editorial & Advertising Jana Lindner Tel: +44 (0)20 7976 4188 Email: [email protected] 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: [email protected], 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: [email protected] 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: [email protected] 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: [email protected], 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 We speak your language 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: [email protected] Mit 23 Teilhabern und Direktoren und 160 Mitarbeitern haben wir außergewöhnliche Erfahrung und Kompetenz in allen wichtigen Steuer- und Wirtschaftsfragen. Wir bieten einen umfangreichen Service, von ausgelagerter 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: [email protected] www.blickrothenberg.com Blick Rothenberg is authorised & regulated by the Financial Services Authority to carry on investment business www.bral.com