International
Investors and touristic information
With its central location at the heart of Western Europe and its excellent transport links, the city of Cologne and its surrounding area provide ideal conditions for foreign nationals to work on a self-employed basis or for companies from abroad to set up dependent and independent branches.
In the following we would like to provide some useful information compiled by "Germany Trade and Invest“ and by the "Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology“.
Germany Trade and Invest (GTAI) provides a wide range of information:
- Coming to Germany
- Establishing a Company
- Financing Investment Projects in Germany
- Incentive Programs
- The Tax System
- Employees and Social Security
- The Legal Framework
- Living in Germany
Furthermore, you can choose between seven languages, which should alleviate your first contact with Germany.
The Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology also provides valuable information on their homepage, for example about Market Entry, Staying in Germany, Working in Germany and a lot more.
Furthermore, the "Guide to successfully founding a company in Germany" combines concise information with a special focus on Cologne in English, Turkish, Chinese and Portuguese language.
The Cologne Business Guide contains all relevant facts and figures about the topic „Business in Cologne“.
For further enquiries or to set up an appointment for a personal consultation, please contact our International Department:
Cologne Chamber of Commerce and Industry
Gudrun Grosse
Phone: +49 221 1640-1561
Fax +49 221 1640-1569
E-Mail: gudrun.grosse@koeln.ihk.de
Gudrun Grosse
Phone: +49 221 1640-1561
Fax +49 221 1640-1569
E-Mail: gudrun.grosse@koeln.ihk.de
Useful Links
Cologne Chamber of Commerce and Industry:
Industrie- und Handelskammer zu Köln
Unter Sachsenhausen 10 - 26
50667 Köln
Tel. +49 221 1640-0
Fax +49 221 1640-1290
E-Mail: service@koeln.ihk.de
Unter Sachsenhausen 10 - 26
50667 Köln
Tel. +49 221 1640-0
Fax +49 221 1640-1290
E-Mail: service@koeln.ihk.de
Magistrate’s Court / Court of Registration:
Amtsgericht / Registergericht
Reichensperger Platz 1
50670 Köln
Tel. +49 221 7711-0
Fax +49 221 7711-312
E-Mail: poststelle@ag-koeln.nrw.de
Reichensperger Platz 1
50670 Köln
Tel. +49 221 7711-0
Fax +49 221 7711-312
E-Mail: poststelle@ag-koeln.nrw.de
Employment Office Cologne:
Agentur für Arbeit Köln
Luxemburger Str. 121
50939 Köln
Tel. +49 221 96443-401
Fax +49 221 94294-123
E-Mail: koeln@arbeitsagentur.de
Luxemburger Str. 121
50939 Köln
Tel. +49 221 96443-401
Fax +49 221 94294-123
E-Mail: koeln@arbeitsagentur.de
Bar Association Cologne:
Rechtsanwaltskammer Köln
Riehler Str. 30
50668 Köln
Tel. +49 221 973010-0
Fax +49 221 973010-50
E-Mail: kontakt@rak-koeln.de
Riehler Str. 30
50668 Köln
Tel. +49 221 973010-0
Fax +49 221 973010-50
E-Mail: kontakt@rak-koeln.de
Chamber of Notaries Cologne:
Rheinische Notarkammer Köln
Burgmauer 53
50667 Köln
Tel. +49 221 25752-91
Fax +49 221 25753-10
E-Mail: info@rhnotk.de
Burgmauer 53
50667 Köln
Tel. +49 221 25752-91
Fax +49 221 25753-10
E-Mail: info@rhnotk.de
Points of Single Contact (PSC)
The Points of Single Contact aim to assist European service sector companies in navigating through sometimes very complex national legal procedures. Points of Single Contact simplify the administrative processes by acting as case managers for each company’s enquiries. Advice provided by the PSCs is legally binding and accessible via Internet.
In North Rhine-Westphalia, the services of the single contact person for you are free of charge. Only the anyway due the technically competent authorities fees so, even if you process your concern via the points of single contact, are no longer subject to additional charges for the services of the PSC under the EA Act North Rhine-Westphalia from 2016.
Boost your business | B2B platforms
http://www.bfr.de/
German "Bundesfirmenregister" - Federal register of companies
German "Bundesfirmenregister" - Federal register of companies
http://www.europages.com/
Europages, an international business network
Europages, an international business network
https://www.wlw.de/
German "Wer liefert was?", a search engine for products and services
German "Wer liefert was?", a search engine for products and services
http://www.deutsche-exportdatenbank.de/eng
"Deutsche Export-Datenbank", official German export database
"Deutsche Export-Datenbank", official German export database
http://vdma-products.com/en
Product database of the German mechanical and plant engineering
Product database of the German mechanical and plant engineering
https://www.elektro-einkaufsfuehrer.de/eng
List of suppliers of the German electric and electronic industry
List of suppliers of the German electric and electronic industry
http://www.industrystock.com/
Database of industrial suppliers
Database of industrial suppliers
http://www.ixpos.de/IXPOS/Navigation/EN/your-business-in-germany.html
Ixpos, a B2B platform
Ixpos, a B2B platform
Ökoportal | Das Webverzeichnis der Öko-Branche (oekoportal.de)
European Patent Office
European Patent Office
DPMA Deutsches Patent- und Markenamt - Startseite
"Deutsches Patent- und Markenamt" (DPMA), official publications and register for patents, utility models, trade marks and designs
"Deutsches Patent- und Markenamt" (DPMA), official publications and register for patents, utility models, trade marks and designs
Economic Development Agencies
City of Cologne:
Amt für Wirtschaftsförderung
Börsenplatz 1
50667 Köln
Tel. +49 221 99501-0
E-Mail: info@koeln.business
Börsenplatz 1
50667 Köln
Tel. +49 221 99501-0
E-Mail: info@koeln.business
City of Leverkusen:
Wirtschaftsförderung Leverkusen GmbH
Dönhoffstraße 39
51373 Leverkusen
Tel. +49 214 8331-0
Fax +49 214 8331-11
E-Mail: info@wfl-leverkusen.de
Dönhoffstraße 39
51373 Leverkusen
Tel. +49 214 8331-0
Fax +49 214 8331-11
E-Mail: info@wfl-leverkusen.de
Rhein-Erft-District:
Wirtschaftsförderung Rhein-Erft GmbH
Willy-Brandt-Platz 1
50126 Bergheim
Tel. +49 2234 95568-0
Fax +49 2234 95568-68
E-Mail: info@wfg-rhein-erft.de
Willy-Brandt-Platz 1
50126 Bergheim
Tel. +49 2234 95568-0
Fax +49 2234 95568-68
E-Mail: info@wfg-rhein-erft.de
Oberbergisch District:
Wirtschaftsförderung Oberberg
Moltkestraße 34
51643 Gummersbach
Tel. +49 2261 886868
E-Mail: wisto@obk.de
Moltkestraße 34
51643 Gummersbach
Tel. +49 2261 886868
E-Mail: wisto@obk.de
Rheinisch-Bergisch District:
Rheinisch-Bergische Wirtschaftsförderungsgesellschaft mbH
Friedrich-Ebert-Straße
51429 Bergisch Gladbach
Tel. +49 2204 9763-0
Fax +49 2204 9763-99
E-Mail: info@rbw.de
Friedrich-Ebert-Straße
51429 Bergisch Gladbach
Tel. +49 2204 9763-0
Fax +49 2204 9763-99
E-Mail: info@rbw.de
Tax Offices
You can find your local tax office in the following link:
Immigration Authorities
City of Cologne / Central Immigration Authority:
Zentrale Ausländerbehörde
Blaubach 13
50676 Köln
Tel. +49 221 221-25601
Fax +49 221 221-25660
E-Mail: zab@stadt-koeln.de
Blaubach 13
50676 Köln
Tel. +49 221 221-25601
Fax +49 221 221-25660
E-Mail: zab@stadt-koeln.de
City of Gummersbach / Immigration Authority:
Ausländerbehörde
Moltkestraße 42
51643 Gummersbach
Tel. +49 2261 88-0
Fax +49 2261 87-1033
E-Mail: mail@obk.de
Moltkestraße 42
51643 Gummersbach
Tel. +49 2261 88-0
Fax +49 2261 87-1033
E-Mail: mail@obk.de
City of Leverkusen / Immigration Authority:
Ausländerbehörde
Rathaus
Friedrich-Ebert-Platz 1
51373 Leverkusen
Tel. +49 214 406-3340
Fax +49 214 406-3339
E-Mail: 33@stadt.leverkusen.de
Rathaus
Friedrich-Ebert-Platz 1
51373 Leverkusen
Tel. +49 214 406-3340
Fax +49 214 406-3339
E-Mail: 33@stadt.leverkusen.de
Rhein-Erft-Kreis / Immigration Authority:
Ausländerbehörde
Willy-Brandt-Platz 1
50126 Bergheim
Tel. +49 2271 83-0
Fax +49 2271 83-2300
E-Mail: info@rhein-erft-kreis.de
Willy-Brandt-Platz 1
50126 Bergheim
Tel. +49 2271 83-0
Fax +49 2271 83-2300
E-Mail: info@rhein-erft-kreis.de
Touristic Information
For touristic information about the Cologne Region please contact the following tourist boards:
Cologne Tourist Board
Köln Tourismus GmbH
Kardinal-Höffner-Platz 1
D-50667 Köln
Phone: +49 221 346 43 0
E-Mail: info@koelntourismus.de
https://www.cologne-tourism.com
Kardinal-Höffner-Platz 1
D-50667 Köln
Phone: +49 221 346 43 0
E-Mail: info@koelntourismus.de
https://www.cologne-tourism.com
Bergisches Land Tourist Board
Naturarena Bergisches Land GmbH
Bergisches Haus
Friedrich-Ebert-Straße 75
51429 Bergisch Gladbach
Phone: +49 2204 8430-00
E-Mail: info@dasbergische.de
https://www.dasbergische.de
Bergisches Haus
Friedrich-Ebert-Straße 75
51429 Bergisch Gladbach
Phone: +49 2204 8430-00
E-Mail: info@dasbergische.de
https://www.dasbergische.de
Rhein-Erft Tourist Board
Rhein-Erft Tourismus e.V.
Willy-Brandt-Platz 1
50126 Bergheim
Phone: +49 2271 9949940
E-Mail: info@rhein-erft-tourismus.de
https://www.rhein-erft-tourismus.de
Willy-Brandt-Platz 1
50126 Bergheim
Phone: +49 2271 9949940
E-Mail: info@rhein-erft-tourismus.de
https://www.rhein-erft-tourismus.de
City of Leverkusen
Stadt Leverkusen
Friedrich-Ebert-Platz 1
D-51373 Leverkusen
Phone: +49 214 / 406-0
E-Mail: postmaster@stadt.leverkusen.de
https://www.leverkusen.de
Friedrich-Ebert-Platz 1
D-51373 Leverkusen
Phone: +49 214 / 406-0
E-Mail: postmaster@stadt.leverkusen.de
https://www.leverkusen.de