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 English, Chinese and Japenese language settings, which should alleviate your first contact with Germany.
The Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology also provides valuable information on the EU Service Market and relevant industry links in Germany.
Furthermore, the "Cologne Business Guide" combines concise information with a special focus on Cologne in English, Turkish, Chinese and Portuguese language.
For further enquiries or to set up an appointment for a personal consultation, please contact our International Department:
Cologne Chamber of Commerce and Industry
Michael Zygojannis
Phone: +49 221 1640-1562
E-Mail:
michael.zygojannis@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

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

Employment Office Cologne:

Agentur für Arbeit Köln
Butzweilerhofallee 1
50829 Köln
Tel. +49 221
94295550
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

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

Points of Single Contact (PSC)

The Points of Single Contact work as part of a European network (covering the EU and the EEA) to provide business-friendly access to administrative services. They can give you all the information you need about the requirements for starting and running a business. The Point of Single Contact network is comprised of a number of electronic portals and personal points of contact.
As an EU citizen, you have a legal right to the services provided by the Points of Single Contact. This right is set out in the EU Services Directive and the EU Directive on the Recognition of Professional Qualifications. In addition, the Points of Single Contact are assistance services that can be reached via a single, digital gateway in accordance with the relevant EU Regulation. In North Rhine-Westphalia, information from the Point of Single Contact is free of charge.

Boost your business | B2B platforms

http://www.bfr.de/
German "Bundesfirmenregister" - Federal register of companies
http://www.europages.com/
Europages, an international business network
https://www.wlw.de/
German "Wer liefert was?", a search engine for products and services
http://www.deutsche-exportdatenbank.de/eng
"Deutsche Export-Datenbank", official German export database
http://vdma-products.com/en
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
http://www.industrystock.com/
Database of industrial suppliers
https://oekoportal.de/
German "Ökoportal", a business directory for ecological needs
https://www.epo.org/en
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

Economic Development Agencies

City of Cologne:

Köln Business
Börsenplatz 1
50667 Köln
Tel. +49 221 99501-0
E-Mail:
international@koeln.business

City of Leverkusen:

Wirtschaftsförderung Leverkusen GmbH
Stauffenbergstraße 14-20
51373 Leverkusen
Tel. +49 214 8331-15
Fax +49 214 8331-11
E-Mail: info@wfl-leverkusen.de

Rhein-Erft-District:

Wirtschaftsförderung Rhein-Erft GmbH
Sportparkstraße 4a
50126 Bergheim
Tel. +49 2234
99499-0
Fax +49 2234 99499
-68
E-Mail: info@wfg-rhein-erft.de

Oberbergisch District:

Wirtschaftsförderung Oberberg
Moltkestraße 34
51643 Gummersbach
Tel. +49 2261 886868
E-Mail:
wirtschaftsfoerderung@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

Tax Offices

You can find your local tax office in the following link:

Immigration Authorities

City of Cologne / Central Immigration Authority:

Ausländeramt
Dillenburger Straße 56-66
51105 Köln
Tel. +49 221 2210
E-Mail:
stadtverwaltung@stadt-koeln.de

City of Gummersbach / Immigration Authority:

Ausländerbehörde
Stahlstraße 5
51645 Gummersbach
Tel. +49 2261 88-3202
Fax +49 2261 88-3200
E-Mail:
amt32@obk.de 

City of Leverkusen / Immigration Authority:

Ausländerbehörde
Rathaus
Friedrich-Ebert-Platz 1
51373 Leverkusen
Tel. +49 214
406 - 33388
Fax +49 214 406-33399
E-Mail:
333-ABH@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

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

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

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

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