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Destination: Germany
Background:
As Western Europe's richest and most populous nation, Germany remains a key member of the continent's economic, political, and defense organizations.
Economy - overview:
Customs Clearance : Removal goods are only granted duty free entry if they are imported within one year of the owner establishing his residence or secondary residence in Germany. Removal goods are the objects that the immigrant already used at his previous domicile either for his personal use or for vocational or industrial purpose and which are capable of being re-used in Germany for the identical purpose corresponding to his economic situation. The exemption of duties is granted, provided there are no unsuitable advantages of customs. Duty free entry : ln most cases, the importer must have resided outside the EEC for at least 12 months prior to the importation, and household goods must belong to the importer, and non-consumable goods must have been used by him at his former residence for at least 6 months, and must be used for the same purpose in his new residence. They must not leave his possession for 12 months after his arrival. Alcohol, tobacco, commercial vehicles and commercial used goods are excluded. Documantation : Certificate of registration with the Police (or immigration permit), inventory, certificate from the competent foreign authorities, stating how long the immigrant has been living abroad (if this is not evident on the identity document), renting contract of a domicile(if possible). Contract of employment, Customs registration form 0350.
Information is as a guide only – Quarantine and Customs conditions may change without notice
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European power struggles immersed the country in two devastating World Wars in the first half of the 20th century and left the country occupied by the victorious Allied powers of the US, UK, France, and the Soviet Union in 1945.
With the advent of the Cold War, two German states were formed in 1949: the western Federal Republic of Germany (FRG) and the eastern German Democratic Republic (GDR).
The democratic FRG embedded itself in key Western economic and security organizations, the EC and NATO, while the communist GDR was on the front line of the Soviet-led Warsaw Pact.
The decline of the USSR and the end of the Cold War allowed for German unification in 1990.
Since then Germany has expended considerable funds to bring eastern productivity and wages up to western standards.
In January 1999, Germany and 10 other EU countries formed a common European currency, the euro.
Germany possesses the world's third most technologically powerful economy after the US and Japan, but its basic capitalistic economy has started to struggle under the burden of generous social benefits.
Structural rigidities - like a high rate of social contributions on wages - have made unemployment a long-term, not just cyclical, problem, while Germany's aging population has pushed social security outlays to exceed contributions from workers.
The integration and upgrading of the eastern German economy remains a costly long-term problem, with annual transfers from the west amounting to roughly $100 billion.
Growth slowed to 1.5% in 1999, largely due to lower export demand and still-low business confidence.
Recovering Asian demand, a push for fiscal consolidation, and newly proposed business and income tax cuts - if passed - are expected to boost growth back to trend rates around 2.5% in 2000 and beyond.
The adoption of a common European currency and the general political and economic integration of Europe will bring major changes to the German economy in the early 21st century.