Countries · DE

Germany: sanctions and trade risk

No elevated indicator

As of 7 November 2026, the screened UN, EU, UK, Swiss and US sanctions lists contain 143 companies, organisations, vessels and aircraft linked to Germany.Lists last checked .

Logistics profile: ports, airports, customs, documents, holidays, news ↓

No elevated country indicator for Germany in the route rules Sanctioni uses. That is not a clearance: goods may still be export-controlled, and parties in Germany may still be on a list.

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On the sanctions lists

143 entries on the official lists name Germany — as nationality, address, registration or flag. That links them to the country; it says nothing about other companies there. The same company can appear on several lists and is then counted once per list. Individuals are not included — Sanctioni does not process them.

ListEntries
US OFAC — Specially Designated Nationals (SDN)91
Switzerland SECO Consolidated Sanctions List48
EU Consolidated Financial Sanctions List (FSF)2
UK Sanctions List (FCDO)2

Latest changes

No new listings or removals naming Germany recorded yet.

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Logistics profile

Germany: logistics and trade

Logistics hub of Europe / industrial and transit country

Germany (DE) is Europe's central logistics hub, an industrial and transit country linking the North Sea ports with markets in Central, Eastern and Southern Europe. As a member of the EU customs union and the eurozone it enjoys free movement of goods in the single market; third-country imports and exports are processed electronically via the ATLAS customs system, with import VAT at 19 percent (reduced rate 7 percent). The main gateways are the cargo airports Frankfurt (FRA), Leipzig/Halle (LEJ) and Cologne/Bonn (CGN), the seaports of Hamburg, Bremerhaven and Wilhelmshaven, and Duisburg, the world's largest inland port. Key axes are the A2, A3, A7 and A9 motorways and the Rhine-Alpine (Rotterdam–Genoa), North Sea–Baltic and Scandinavian–Mediterranean rail corridors; the Rhine carries a large share of inland waterway traffic, though low water can limit capacity seasonally. Typical cargo includes vehicles and parts, machinery, chemicals and pharmaceuticals, and electronics; the main trading partners are China, the USA, the Netherlands, France and Poland.

Capital
Berlin
Population
83,500,000
Area
357,022 km²
Currency
Euro (EUR)
Continent
Europe
Region
DACH
Economic area
EU / Eurozone
Religions
Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Buddhism
Access to the sea
Yes

Transport modes Road · Rail · Sea · Air · Inland waterway

Current situation
Strike wave 2026: warning strikes in retail (ver.di, nationwide in July 2026), first labour disputes at the Port of Duisburg in decades (Rhenus Port Logistics, June 2026) and announced warning strikes at Autobahn GmbH may delay handling and transit times in some places. In addition, bottlenecks from bridge and motorway renovation and rail expansion (TEN-T) continue. (Status 2026-07-20)
Seasonal conditions
Low water on the Rhine in dry summers restricts inland waterway shipping; winter storms and snow can affect roads, rail and North Sea ports.

Main seaports

  • Hamburg

    Hamburg (DE HAM): Germany's largest seaport and Europe's 3rd-busiest box hub, 8.3M TEU in 2025, Europe's top rail port. Cargo, customs, terminals, alternatives.

  • Bremen

    Bremen (DE BRE), Europe's largest breakbulk and heavy-lift port: 10.7M tonnes in 2024, Neustädter Hafen, steel, wind cargo, project loads; containers via Bremerhaven.

  • Bremerhaven

    Bremerhaven (DE BRV), Europe's 4th-largest container port: 4.44M TEU in 2024, NTB and MSC Gate terminals, BLG car terminal, strong rail links, EU customs.

  • Wilhelmshaven

    Wilhelmshaven (DE WVN): Germany's only deep-water port – JadeWeserPort box terminal, top crude-oil import hub and first German LNG terminal.

  • Rostock

    Rostock (DE RSK): Germany's largest Baltic universal port, driven by ferry and ro-ro links to Scandinavia, grain and bulk – 30.1 million tonnes in 2024.

  • Lubeck

    Lübeck (DE LBC): Germany's largest Baltic port, a ro-ro and ferry hub to Scandinavia and the Baltics, leading in forest products. Containers via Hamburg.

Main cargo airports

  • Frankfurt AirportFRA

    Frankfurt Airport (FRA/EDDF): 2.1m t air cargo in 2025 (+1.1%), Europe's top cargo hub. Lufthansa Cargo base, CargoCity expansion, alternatives Amsterdam/Luxembourg.

  • Leipzig/Halle AirportLEJ

    Leipzig/Halle Airport (LEJ): DHL's European hub, around 1.4 million tonnes of cargo a year, 24/7 freighter operations, Aerologic base, new DHL logistics centre 2025.

  • Cologne Bonn AirportCGN

    Cologne Bonn Airport (CGN): UPS's largest hub outside the USA, ~850,000 t cargo in 2024, night flights until 2030, FedEx and DHL hubs; Fiege takes over CBCC.

  • Munich AirportMUC

    Munich Airport (MUC/EDDM): about 341,000 tonnes of air cargo in 2025, Lufthansa belly capacity, Cargogate handling, pharma zones and a 2026 cargo apron expansion.

Road corridors

  • A2 (Ruhr area-Berlin)
  • A3 (Netherlands-Bavaria)
  • A7 (Hamburg-Alps)
  • A9 (Berlin-Munich)

Rail corridors

  • Rhine-Alpine Corridor (Rotterdam-Genoa)
  • North Sea-Baltic
  • Rhine-Danube
  • Scandinavia-Mediterranean

Inland ports

  • Duisburg
  • Cologne
  • Mannheim
  • Ludwigshafen

Main trade lanes

  • DE-CN
  • DE-US
  • DE-NL
  • DE-FR
  • DE-PL

Customs and import

Customs authority Generalzolldirektion / German Customs AdministrationOfficial website ↗

Import customs system
EU customs union; non-EU imports are processed electronically via ATLAS-Einfuhr under the Union Customs Code. No customs clearance within the EU.
Export customs system
Export declarations are filed electronically via ATLAS-Ausfuhr; processing across the EU under the Union Customs Code.
Import VAT
Import VAT: 19 percent standard rate, 7 percent reduced rate; only for imports from non-EU countries. Deferment possible until the 26. of the following month.
Proofs of origin and trade agreements
EU preferential agreements: movement certificate EUR.1/EUR-MED, origin declaration (REX), supplier declaration; certificate of origin via the IHK (Chamber of Commerce).
Restricted and prohibited goods
EU bans and restrictions apply: weapons, drugs, protected species (CITES), counterfeit goods; licensing requirements depending on the type of goods.

Typical import documents

  • Commercial invoice
  • Packing list
  • Customs declaration (ATLAS-Einfuhr)
  • Preference proof (EUR.1/REX) if applicable
  • Transport document (CMR/B/L/AWB)

Typical export documents

  • Commercial invoice
  • Export declaration (ATLAS-Ausfuhr)
  • Packing list
  • Proof of origin
  • BAFA export licence if applicable

Logistics conditions

Customs complexity
Low to medium
Customs delays
Low
Port congestion
Medium
Dangerous goods relevance
High
Pharma and cold chain relevance
High
E-commerce relevance
High

Trade

Top import goods

  • Electronic devices
  • Machinery
  • Vehicles
  • Mineral oils
  • Pharmaceutical products

Top export goods

  • Vehicles
  • Machinery
  • Chemicals
  • Electronics
  • Pharmaceuticals

Typical cargo

  • Vehicles and parts
  • Machinery
  • Chemicals and pharmaceuticals
  • Electronics
  • Consumer goods

Upcoming public holidays

  • Christmas DayFri, 25 Dec 2026 · businesses closed
  • Boxing Day / St Stephen's DaySat, 26 Dec 2026 · businesses closed
  • New Year's DayFri, 1 Jan 2027 · businesses closed
  • Good FridayFri, 26 Mar 2027 · businesses closed
  • Easter MondayMon, 29 Mar 2027 · businesses closed
  • Labour DaySat, 1 May 2027 · businesses closed
  • Ascension DayThu, 6 May 2027 · businesses closed
  • Whit MondayMon, 17 May 2027 · businesses closed

Latest logistics news

Logistics questions

Is customs duty charged on goods shipped within the EU to Germany?

No. Germany is part of the EU customs union and the single market; deliveries from other EU countries are duty-free. Intra-Community VAT rules apply, not import VAT.

What is the import VAT rate in Germany?

The standard rate is 19 percent; a reduced rate of 7 percent applies to certain goods. It is only charged on imports from non-EU countries and can be reclaimed by businesses entitled to deduct input VAT.

Which IT system is used for customs declarations?

Germany processes imports and exports electronically via ATLAS (ATLAS-Einfuhr and ATLAS-Ausfuhr), the procedure of the German customs administration under the Union Customs Code.

What are Germany's most important seaports?

Hamburg is the largest seaport, followed by Bremerhaven/Bremen (leading in automotive handling) and Wilhelmshaven, the only deep-water container port. Rostock and Lübeck are important on the Baltic Sea.

Which airport is most important for air freight?

Frankfurt (FRA) is Germany's largest air cargo airport. Other important express and cargo hubs are Leipzig/Halle (DHL) and Cologne/Bonn (UPS/FedEx).

What role does inland waterway shipping play?

A major one: Duisburg is the world's largest inland port and a hub of the Rhine-Alpine Corridor. In dry summers, low water on the Rhine can limit transport capacity.

How reliable is customs clearance in Germany?

Very reliable. Electronic clearance via ATLAS is efficient and the risk of delays is low. Localised bottlenecks at seaports or strikes can nonetheless affect transit times.

Full logistics profile on Freight Academy ↗

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Indicator: the route rules of the Sanctioni check, curated from the published sanctions programmes of the UN, EU, UK, Switzerland and the US. Entries: the live version of each list (data sources), updated every 6 hours.

A preliminary screening aid — not legal advice and not a compliance clearance. The official publication of the competent authority prevails.

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