In quick succession on 7 and 15 November 2023, the Administrative Court of Berlin (Verwaltungsgericht Berlin, the “VG Berlin”) has ruled on procedural matters in foreign direct investment review proceedings of the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (the “BMWK”) in two hearings. Because court rulings on these non-public administrative proceedings – which are non-public because they concern national security and public order – have been very rare to date, the court’s clarifications will contribute to legal certainty for companies involved in the proceedings and the BMWK.
Key takeaways
- In its rulings, the VG Berlin overturned two BMWK decisions on purely formal grounds without having to deal with material law questions (such as the standards of assessment of the BMWK’s or individual case groups of sensitive activities).
- In the future, the BMWK will need to adhere to the formalistic procedure to be able to effectively enforce its decisions in the event of security concerns regarding foreign investments.
From a practical perspective, it would be regrettable if the open, direct and easily accessible communication channels with the BMWK, which have been appreciated by all parties involved in the proceedings to date, would have to give way to a much more formalistic administrative practice. The BMWK’s open communication has significantly reduced the average duration of investment review procedures and made it easier for companies and legal practitioners to work with the (still developing) German investment review regime.
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