German-Italian Group

Legal advice for German-Italian business

CMS's German-Italian Group consists of bilingual lawyers and tax advisers from partner firms CMS Hasche Sigle (Germany) and CMS Adonnino Ascoli & Cavasola Scamoni (Italy). It offers integrated cross-border legal and business advice, thereby assisting companies to operate in each other's country.

The Group’s lawyers advise German clients with business contacts in Italy or who wish to invest in Italy, and Italian companies with activities in Germany – all in the client's own language. Clients benefit from our lawyers' in-depth knowledge of the conditions in each country and their excellent contacts with local institutions.

Depending on requirements, interdisciplinary and international teams are assembled, with a dedicated contact person always available to the client.

Close business ties between the two countries

The German-Italian Group reflects the fact that the two countries traditionally have close and extensive economic ties.

Germany is by far Italy's most important trading partner, accounting for 12.6% of Italian imports and 12.5% of Italy’s exports (2012). For its part, Italy is the fifth most important country for Germany in terms of imports and the sixth most important for exports. In total, bilateral trade amounted to some EUR 104 billion in 2012. German direct investment in Italy was some EUR 26 billion in 2011. Conversely, Italian direct investment in Germany was approximately EUR 34 billion.

The service portfolio of the German-Italian Group

Our advice covers the full range of national and international commercial law. In every area of law, our clients have access to the expertise of highly specialised lawyers. The German-Italian Group advises companies from a wide range of different sectors:

• Automotive
• Banks and Financial Services Providers
• Construction and Real Estate
• Biotechnology and Lifesciences
• Chemical and Pharmaceutical Industry
• Data Processing and IT Companies
• Digital Business
• Electrical and Heavy Industry
• Energy
• Film Production
• Trade and the Service Sector
• Hotels and Tourism
• Leasing Companies
• Machinery and Engineering
• Media and Publishing
• Food, Beverages and Tobacco
• New Media
• Private Equity
• Shipping, Haulage and Transport
• Technology
• Telecom, Internet, E-Commerce
• Textiles and Fashion Industry
• Insurance
• Utilities