Execution and enforcement of foreign judgments in Germany

The Jurisdiction of courts, like the authority of the state, ends at the respective national borders. Yet there is no standardised procedure to help the creditors of foreign debtors enforce their claims.

Accordingly, there are different procedural approaches to enforcing a foreign judicial ruling in Germany. Although foreign judgments are in principle recognised within Germany, this does not mean that they consequently have the same effects as a German judgment. Whether the judgment is also declared to be enforceable in Germany depends on whether the conditions for recognition of a judgment within Germany are met. Germany maintains intergovernmental conventions with most countries. Corresponding regulations exist for the European Union in order to simplify the enforcement of judgments. According to the German Code of Judicial Procedure, the domestic enforcement of a title from a country which does not fall within the scope of application of an intergovernmental convention or a European regulation can only be put into effect if the enforcement has been declared to be admissible or appropriate contractual relations exist.

The Convention on Recognition with Non-European States, on the other hand, is undergoing constant change.

We take account of the ever-changing intergovernmental agreements and help you to initiate the appropriate procedures for enforcing international claims, execute foreign judgments or take action against them.

It is also possible for us, due to our close cooperation with numerous foreign medium-sized law firms, to assert and enforce your judgments obtained in Germany abroad with the help of these law firms.

We provide you with experienced lawyers who can review and enforce legal claims beyond state borders.