Similar to the commercial register, the company register is a source of information about companies based in Germany. However, there are some differences. The company register also accesses information stored in the commercial register and makes it available online. However, the company register also offers the opportunity to view company contracts and statutes as well as the balance sheets of corporations deposited or published with the Federal Gazette. However, the business register lacks the property of obligation. It therefore serves only the purpose of public information. Another difference is that the Federal Gazette keeps the company register.

In any case, the information that can be obtained through the business register can serve various purposes. This allows you to analyze the economic situation of a company you want to buy in advance of the purchase negotiations. But also information about a competing company can sometimes be useful.

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1. What is the business register?

The business register is an online database that provides information about companies upon request. This includes entries in the Commercial Register, the Partnership Register and the Cooperative Register. The Federal Gazette operates the company register. Therefore, the company register also accesses the announcements of the Federal Gazette.

What is the purpose of the business register?

First and foremost, the business register serves as a central source of information on all types of publicly available data about companies based in Germany. This contains all the information that is subject to and capable of being registered in a public register. In addition, the company register also provides information on accounting and financial reports, which includes both the trade balance sheets in the annual accounts and in the consolidated financial statements.

Furthermore, through the company register you can obtain access to company articles and articles of association. Of course, this also applies to any changes made to the respective register.

In addition, publications of companies can also be accessed centrally via the company register. In addition to the balance sheets, this includes, for example, the convening of shareholder meetings or shareholder meetings or ad hoc communications.

However, the company register does not offer any protection of trust in the information provided there. This protection can only be granted by official registers. However, the access of the business register to the original entries in the respective registers removes this restriction.

As already mentioned, all companies based in Germany are available in the company register. This includes companies that are registered in the commercial register, i.e. registered merchants, partnerships and corporations, as well as partnerships and cooperatives.

4. What is in the business register?

You can retrieve a lot of information through the company register. For example, extracts from the commercial register can be retrieved in the form of a current imprint (AD) or chronological imprint (CD). Historical extracts (HD) from the period before the changeover of the register to the electronic procedure are also available. It shall contain information that is either subject to registration or eligible for registration. The main content includes the following information about a company: