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American Chamber of Commerce in Germany e.V. |
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 AmCham Germany's goals are to support unrestricted trade and investment
between the United States and Germany, and to promote a healthy, open
and productive business climate between the two countries.
AmCham
Germany represents the business interests of American firms located in
Germany and the United States and also acts on behalf of its German
members, many of whom maintain significant holdings in the United
States.
Our History
AmCham Germany was founded in Berlin on 30 January 1903 as the American
Chamber of Commerce. At the outset there were around 100 members, of
which approximately 60% were American citizens and 40% German. AmCham
Germany is the oldest bilateral trade association in Germany and the
second oldest AmCham in the world. Today, with over 3,000 members,
AmCham Germany is the largest American Chamber of Commerce in Europe.
AmCham Germany's membership includes 85% of all U.S. investment in
Germany, accounting for approximately 800,000 direct jobs and over 110
billion Euro in investment.
Our Activities
Government Relations
Expanding the German-American trade relationship and nurturing the
German investment climate are AmCham Germany's main policy goals.
Position papers on topics ranging from taxation policy to
biotechnology, telecommunications & multimedia, energy,
environmental policy, financial services and corporate law are
developed in AmCham Germany's Policy Committees and presented to the
appropriate government bodies. AmCham Germany remains in constant
contact with business leaders and political decisionmakers in Berlin,
Brussels and Washington, D.C.
Information Services and Marketing
AmCham Germany seeks to actively address the business needs of American
companies in Germany with individually tailored services. To this end,
AmCham Germany maintains a commercial library for its members and
sponsors seminars, workshops and conferences. In addition, AmCham
Germany selectively provides industry-specific information using the
latest in information technology.
Publications
AmCham Germany's official publication is commerce germany. Founded in
1920, it is the oldest German-American business journal still in
publication (although interrupted during the Second World War). The
journal is now published by ACC Verlag & Services GmbH, a
wholly-owned subsidiary of AmCham Germany. The American German Business
Guide, published annually, lists corporate members alphabetically,
cross-referenced by individual delegate names, and classifies them by
Standard Industrial Code (SIC). In addition, the Business Guide
contains an in-depth German-American Business Report and information
about AmCham Germany.
- relevant bilateral and international trade and investment issues;
- current trends in key industrial sectors; trends in trade and direct
- investment; recent developments concerning finance and accounting in
- the United States and Germany relevant legal and regulatory
- developments in the United States and Germany.
Trade and Investment Facilitation
AmCham Germany assists American companies wishing to invest or engage
in trade with Germany, and German companies seeking similar
opportunities in the United States. To this end, AmCham Germany works
closely with the various offices of the U.S. Foreign Commercial Service
in Germany and the Council of American States in Europe (CASE) as well
as with the various German investment support organizations.
Organizational Structure
AmCham Germany's official domicile remains in the city of Berlin, where
it maintains a representative and policy office. The executive office
is located in Frankfurt. AmCham Germany representation is divided
geographically into ten regions. In addition, AmCham Germany has local
representatives in 13 German cities and in Washington, D.C. The Board
of Directors is AmCham Germany's chief policy-setting body. It consists
of between 20 and 30 members and the Executive Committee. The Executive
Committee consists of the president, the executive vice president, the
regional vice presidents and the treasurer. The president heads the
Board and the Executive Committee. Members of both the Board and the
Executive Committee work on a voluntary basis, generously donating
their time and expertise on behalf of the membership as a whole.
Key Institutional Relationships
Through maintaining close relationships with the following key business
and governmental institutions, AmCham Germany is able to support
American enterprises and influence trade and investment policy not only
in Germany, but throughout Europe:
European Council of American Chambers of Commerce (ECACC)
EUCommittee, AmCham Belgium U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Washington,
D.C. industry and trade associations national governments in Germany
and the U.S.
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