Representing the interests of the German economy to politics and administration at the federal level – this is the task of the DIHK. Feedback from companies is, of course, indispensable for this. Here you have the opportunity to give your feedback on current economic policy topics. Your opinion, your constructive criticism and your suggestions are very welcome. 

The employees of the DIHK in Berlin and Brussels focus their attention on economic policy projects at national, European and international levels. After all, politics and administration regularly enquire about the requirements of the commercial economy through the DIHK in order to consider them in their legislative process deliberations. Therefore, the assessments of companies are of great importance. The chambers of industry and commerce are in contact with their member companies, inform them about the latest economic policy developments and bundle the corresponding reactions of the commercial economy. These are then fed into federal and European legislative procedures by the DIHK. 

No policy advice without company feedback

Determining and perceiving the overall interest does not work without the participation of companies. Particularly important are concrete examples from operational practice that show how new regulations affect businesses. The more support and substantive feedback the IHKs and DIHK receive from companies, the more effectively the DIHK can fulfil its task of advising government and legislators. It does this particularly based on the decisions of its committees as well as statements and feedback from IHKs and companies. 

Depending on the industry, region or company size, businesses can be affected quite differently by legislative projects. Accordingly, the feedback from companies can vary. Balancing this spectrum of opinions and conveying it to political decision-makers is the core task of the DIHK in Berlin and Brussels. 

Right of complaint and grievance for statutory IHK members

The DIHK is happy to provide explanations of its positions and their development. We are open to suggestions and criticism to improve our work. Please contact our specialists in the DIHK departments directly or the Council for Integrity and Mediation (German-language version only).

As a statutory member of an IHK, you can also submit a formal complaint under §11a para. 3 IHKG and the Complaints Statute (PDF, 116 KB) (German-language version only) of the DIHK if you believe a statement is not compatible with the competence framework under the IHK Act – regulated in §10a para. 1 and §1 para. 1 IHK Act. Equally, you have the option of taking legal action before the administrative court.  

Complaint procedure at the DIHK

For lodging a complaint under §11a para. 3 IHKG, the “Statute of the DIHK on the establishment of a Council for Integrity and Mediation and for regulating a complaints procedure (Complaints Statute)” of the DIHK applies.  

Part 2, §7 to §10 of this statute governs the complaints procedure. If the complaint is admissible and not obviously unfounded, the aim of the procedure is to discuss the possibility of an understanding between the parties involved. If no such understanding is reached, the Council for Integrity and Mediation decides on the complaint as the complaints committee. Its members were appointed by the DIHK Presidium in March 2023. 

Please refer to the statute, particularly §7 and §8, for the conditions for conducting such a procedure.  

Notes and assistance on the complaints procedure

If you wish to pursue a complaints procedure, please send your written application to the Deutsche Industrie- und Handelskammer, Breite Straße 29, 10178 Berlin, or directly electronically to beschwerdeverfahren@dihk.de. 

To enable a quick review, the DIHK – as noted in the statute – requires the following mandatory information about you and your company, without which a review cannot be carried out: 

1. Company name
2. Company address/contact details
3. Proof of chamber affiliation of the company
4. Details about you as the applicant: salutation, name, first name, position in the company, (work) email address and telephone number, to contact you in case of any queries. 

In addition, regarding the statement or action complained about, we kindly ask for the following information:  

1. Please specify the statement or action you are complaining about in your application.
2. Please explain why you believe it violates the IHKG regulations.
3. Also, please refer to the source of the statement or action, e.g. in the media. You are welcome to attach a screenshot, PDF, etc., or provide a link. 

According to the Complaints Statute, you, or your member company, as well as the DIHK, are involved in the procedure. 

If your concern does not relate to statements by representatives of the DIHK but to comments from your IHK or an IHK state working group, please contact them directly. You can find the corresponding contact details via the IHK finder.