The area of foreign trade and exports has always played a special role for Germany as one of the leading export nations: German companies depend on being able to operate in foreign trade that is as free as possible. In this context, a large number of export control regulations must be observed, which are enforced by the threat of severe fines and penalties. These involve personal liability risks for the members of the company management (person responsible for exports).
After a long period of global liberalisation with the dismantling of tariffs and nontariff trade barriers, the last few years have been characterised by protectionist tendencies. The inauguration of the Biden administration has brought some relief. Nevertheless, the punitive tariffs imposed by the EU against the USA in November 2020, for example, are still in force. In recent years, the number of embargoes and licensing requirements for exports has also risen steadily. Further complication arises from the finalisation of Brexit.
Against this background, the export control requirements for companies are constantly increasing. This export control checklist explains the duties of the member of the management responsible for exports (person responsible for exports) after presenting the principles and necessity of internal export control. The framework conditions for an effective export control organisation are presented below.
Click here for the CHECKLIST (PDF download)
