NEWS

For companies bidding for public contracts in Germany, the rules of the game have changed since 1 July 2026. New legislation (Vergabebeschleunigungsgesetz) is intended to simplify, digitalize and speed up procurement procedures. This development creates opportunities for French companies doing business in Germany. At the same time, access to smaller public contracts is becoming more difficult, as these contracts may now be awarded more frequently without prior publication.

Germany is overhauling the business formation process. By 2029, companies are supposed to be formed within 24 hours. The digital combined application currently being piloted, however, is so far available only to sole proprietorships. For a GmbH with a French parent company, much will remain as it is for the time being.

A €14.5 million fine, seven years of proceedings and a CJEU judgment. The Deutsche Wohnen SE case ended with a €900,000 penalty. It is far more than a data protection precedent. The case offers practical lessons for any company that archives personal data without a genuinely workable deletion policy.

German employment law is currently developing on two levels. On the one hand, in several decisions issued in summer 2026, the Bundesarbeitsgericht (BAG), Germany’s federal labour court, directly changed the legal position, including on protection against dismissal and continued pay during sickness absence. On the other hand, the Federal Government has announced far-reaching reforms concerning, among other things, fixed-term employment and formal written requirements. This article puts both developments into context and shows where action is already needed today and where a wait-and-see approach is the wiser strategy.

By a ruling dated 21 July 2026 and made public on 9 September 2026, the restricted committee of CNIL sanctioned EXTIA. The decision concerns the handling of erasure requests submitted by applicants and former employees. It is relevant to any company that manages a CV database.

Several reforms that came into force this summer are already affecting the day-to-day management of your employees, from “rupture conventionnelle” (mutually agreed termination) to sick leave.

The electronic invoicing reform in France has applied since 1 September 2026. Small and medium-sized enterprises have until 2027 to issue their invoices in the new format, but all businesses must already be able to receive them, or face a fine.

If you offer your customers payment in several instalments, deferred payment or a small “free” loan, a deadline is approaching.

Since 11 August 2026, telephone marketing to consumers has been subject to opt-in: it is prohibited to call an individual without their prior consent.

Free webinar on pay transparency with Lucca. An overview of obligations and opportunities for companies starting in 2025.

Webinaire gratuit sur la transparence des rémunérations avec Lucca. Aperçu des obligations et opportunités pour les entreprises à partir de 2025.

Ad Fontes brought together East German SMEs at the French Embassy in Berlin to strengthen cooperation and explore the French market. An initiative supported by Business France and Ambassador François Delattre.

Ad Fontes took part in the ECA Tech Summit 2025 in Darmstadt to promote Europe’s digital sovereignty in data protection and cybersecurity. Talks, workshops and exchanges with key players – a strategic engagement for the European tech ecosystem.

Ms Grit Karg and Mr Sven Zehl will be present at the ECA Tech Summit 2025, which will take place at the Darmstadtium in Darmstadt on 11 February 2025.

On 18 July 2024, the French Data Protection Authority (CNIL) published its long-awaited recommendation on data protection for mobile applications. This publication provides a roadmap for publishers, developers, software development kit (SDK) providers, and other players in the mobile app ecosystem.

In 2023 Germany and France will celebrate the 60th anniversary of the signing of the Élysée Treaty.  Ad Fontes law firm used this occasion in January to promote it‘s Franco-German potential…

Ad Fontes had the opportunity to host its first entrepreneurs’ evening in Paris with entrepreneurs, managers and senior leaders from the Black Forest region, Berlin, Hesse, Brandenburg and France.

Ad Fontes, in cooperation with Wyngs, was pleased to participate in the DIGITAL FUTUREcongress (DFC) on May 17 2022 and to strengthen its national and international networks.

With the invasion of Ukraine ordered by Vladimir Putin, territorial war has returned to Europe. Unlike the armed conflicts and civil wars, we have known in the world since the fall of the Berlin Wall, this time the legal framework is much clearer.

On 16 Feburary 2022, the Budget Committee of the Bundestag approved a further 9.5 billion euros for the Federal Promotion for Efficient Buildings to promote energy-efficient new buildings and refurbishments. The KfW funding programme was stopped early on 24 January 2022 and, according to media reports, will be resumed from 21 February 2022. After approval by the Federal Ministry of Finance, the money can be granted.

Due to the massive price increases of construction materials, which are among others due to the Covid-19 pandemic, demands for price adjustments for materials (during the construction phase) have often resulted in contract disputes.

In the case of long-term construction sites, it can often happen that the contractor is hindered in the proper execution of his performance and accordingly needs more time to be able to complete the construction project.

Can a company be held liable if his employees attempt to recruit employees of a competitor company with unfair business practices? This consideration gives rise to the following questions: What conditions must be met for an enticement of employees to be considered unfair, and what are the consequences for the managing director?

The shortage of skilled workers in Germany is a considerable problem. With the new applicable version of the Skilled Workers Immigration Act of 1 March 2020 (Fachkräfteeinwanderungsgesetz) , the legal basis was expanded, which serves to implement various EU directives on the entry and residence of so-called third-country nationals.

After the Federal Constitutional Court of Germany ruled in its decision of 25 March 2021 (2 BvF 1/20, 2 BvL 5/20, 2 BvL 4/20) that the Berlin Law on Rent Restrictions in the Residential Sector in Berlin (“Berlin Rent Ceiling”) was incompatible with the German Constitution and therefore null and void, the displeasure of Berlin tenants was considerable.

Corona, or Covid as they say in France, this enormous challenge has forced us to expand our online activities.

Since 2018 Marlies is in contact with the directors of Business School Alb Schwarzwald which welcomes entrepreneurs and managers of SMEs and ETIs for dual studies (BA and Master).

A retailer who has not been allowed to open his shop due to the Corona closure order only has to pay 50% of the net rent of the shop.

Although many of the provisions of the 1975 Subcontracting Act are merely dispositive, provided that the stipulations of the contract are negotiated, Article 14, which deals with the surety of the principal contractor, stands out as being of public policy: it cannot be derogated from under penalty of nullity of the contract.
The decision of the Court of Cassation brings a new, restrictive, look to the regime of the surety.

Unlike international standards, the distance between scaffolding and structure must not exceed 20 cm in France.

Since the 2016 reform of the law of obligations, the new Article 1218 para. 1 of the Civil Code only provides for force majeure for the debtor of an obligation.
The question has been raised whether a creditor can also invoke it, if due to unforeseeable, irresistible events beyond his control, he is no longer able to receive the benefit of his claim.

While the issue of compensation to the subcontractor after the cancellation of the contract with the main contractor was the subject of divergent views in the Courts of Appeal, the Court of Cassation has come to put the matter in order.

The German Federal Constitutional Court in Karlsruhe has upheld some of the appeals against the Climate Protection Act on the grounds that it was too vague as to how to achieve the targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions while at the same time accommodating them with fundamental freedoms.

Although harmonised at European level, advertising and marketing rules still vary in important respects from country to country, especially when working with an influencer.

New rules governing VAT on cross-border e-commerce have been delayed until 1 July 2021.

The Brexit agreement holds a loophole that is of crucial importance in commercial practice.

In 2020, the European Court of Justice (ECJ) issued numerous landmark decisions on data protection within the EU.