Foreign Direct Investment

Germany has a welcoming attitude towards foreign direct investment (FDI). The German market is open for investment in practically all industry sectors. German law makes no distinction between Germans and foreign nationals regarding investments or the establishment of companies. The legal framework for FDI in Germany favors the principle of freedom of foreign trade and payment.

Every year more and more companies discover Germany as a secure and rewarding investment location. Alone in the last five years, Germany's FDI stocks increased by a total of 47 percent to reach approximately EUR 503 billion in 2009. More than 45,000 foreign companies are already operating in Germany, employing around three million people.