As a full service firm, Gleiss Lutz advises on a wide range of foreign trade issues, drawing on its multidisciplinary team to provide seamless, integrated service across various industry sectors. The practice comprises experts who specialize in public business law (including export controls, dual use, sanctions/embargoes, customs and military weapons control regulations), antitrust and corporate/tax. Our foreign trade practice not only counsels and represents clients in foreign trade matters before the competent authorities, but also advises in the implementation of export control related compliance systems. Further, we offer transaction-related assistance on M&A deals on matters of export and investment controls. As a result, our team makes use of its experience and excellent contacts with the competent authorities for the benefit of foreign clients, in particular.
Foreign Trade Law
Foreign investment control
Gleiss Lutz leading practice advises on all aspects of foreign investment control. This includes minimising the risks involved in foreign investments by German companies or national controls of foreign investments in Germany, as well as the coordination of official review procedures worldwide.
...Our expertise is called upon on a regular basis for large volume and highly complex transactions which frequently receive significant public interest.
Embargoes
In markets which are limited by legal regulations or which open up again, we provide our clients with practical and legally sound solutions in order to recognise and develop potential business opportunities and assist them in the drafting of contracts.
...Our experts have extensive experience and outstanding know-how in contractual negotiations relating to Iran, Russia, as well as the U.S., and they know what really matters when it comes to transactions with contractual partners in these countries. Here, our team works closely with American lawyers in particular, since embargo issues frequently interface with US export control laws.
Export control
We successfully assist our clients in handling transnational, cross-border and cross-EU export trade transactions, in accordance with the legal framework which is applicable in each case.
...Additionally, we advise our clients on export projects with regard to the necessary permits and applicable restrictions to ensure that the goods will arrive successfully at their destination.
Customs
Gleiss Lutz assists clients operating abroad so that they can trade securely on the strictly regulated European market. We advise and represent them on all customs-related matters, for example in connection with customs permits, as well as across practice groups in customs-related compliance matters.
...Our international network of independent, leading law firms enables us to handle any problems involving customs law that might arise – across borders and without complications.
EU FOREIGN SUBSIDY CONTROL
The EU’s Regulation on foreign subsidies distorting the internal market (FSR) will start to apply in the second half of 2023. It introduces, inter alia, a pre-merger notification requirement for certain M&A transactions and provides the European Commission with far-reaching powers to review other M&A deals on its own initiative.
...The new rules will lead to significantly more red tape and must be taken into account from now on when planning M&A deals. Gleiss Lutz with its longstanding and leading state aid and merger control practices is in a unique position to assist clients in preparing for and to guide them through these new and untested proceedings.
