Hogan Lovells launches new German Foreign Investment Control Guide

The BRYTER-based application allows both parties in M&A transactions to quickly and easily assess whether they require regulatory approval in Germany, Europe’s largest economy. Germany has been at the forefront of reviewing transactions from a public security perspective and recent proposals to expand foreign investment control. It has also passed no less than six significant reforms of FDI regulations since 2017. The last reform alone introduced 16 groups of activities subject to additional screening,  leading to a total of 27 target activities subject to mandatory FDI filings in Germany. 

With a longer list of activities subject to regulatory approval, it has become more difficult for buyers, sellers, and target companies to identify whether a transaction meets the newly introduced criteria. The easy-to-use guided Hogan Lovells app provides a one-stop-shop solution to ease the screening process. 

Commenting on the launch, Hogan Lovells partner Falk Schöning, an expert in German FDI procedures, said: “Our guide leverages the vast experience of our global team and aims to ease the complex maze of regulations surrounding the German FDI regime. We hope that the app will significantly ease the screening process for our clients.” 

Mark Brennan, Hogan Lovells’ Lead Innovation Partner, commented: “The new Guide is incredibly helpful and easy-to-use – we are so excited to be providing this tool for our clients.”