The Banking Association is the association of credit banks in Germany. It represents the interests of its members to policymakers, banking regulators, consumer protection agencies, and the public. As a point of contact for financing matters, it provides input on issues related to legislation, case law, administration, and the economy.
The association provides information on the development of the credit banking business and overall markets, thereby emphasizing the importance of financing consumption and investment for the economy.
To its members, the association offers concise, business-relevant information and practical implementation support for legislation. It provides exclusive market data and facilitates exchanges with industry representatives.
The BvCM is the Federal Association of Credit Managers in Germany. It represents the interests of its members and serves as a competent advisor for politics, society, and the economy in the field of credit management.
The association aims to highlight the importance and benefits of credit management for business success and to establish the profession as a natural part of the German economy. To this end, the association has developed several qualification programs in cooperation with universities, professional associations, and industry experts: Certified Credit Manager (CCM®)
Certified Credit Controller (CCC®)
By joining the Federation of European Credit Management Association (FECMA), BvCM offers its members the opportunity to exchange information and experiences within an international network.
As partners of the economy, the member companies of the Federal Association of German Debt Collection Companies e.V. (BDIU) recover outstanding claims through out-of-court collection. They offer their clients extensive consulting services aimed at maintaining a positive business relationship with the respective debtor. As experienced service providers in receivables management, they help companies secure their liquidity and remain competitive.
Since 1956, the BDIU has represented the interests of the debt collection industry to the public and policymakers. The majority of actively operating debt collection service providers are organized within the BDIU and meet its strict requirements for conscientious, proper, and honest professional conduct. Today, the association has 560 member companies. They represent the interests of more than 500,000 creditors from all sectors of the economy. In total, BDIU member companies return around 5 billion euros to the economic cycle each year. In out-of-court collection, they resolve about 80 percent of the claims assigned to them, significantly relieving the judicial system.
The BDIU is the largest association of receivables management service providers in Europe and the second largest worldwide. Through its membership in the European umbrella organization FENCA and cooperation with the U.S. partner association ACA International, BDIU members are part of a global network of several thousand companies in the industry.
The Federal Association of German Leasing Companies (BDL), based in Berlin, is the representative body of the German leasing industry, which currently generates an annual investment volume of €48.54 billion.
More than half (53 percent) of all externally financed investments and 21.7 percent of total economic equipment investments are realized through leasing. With its 50-year success story, leasing has become the number one investment alternative and is widespread across all sectors of the economy—especially among small and medium-sized enterprises.
Around 200 leasing companies—from medium-sized firms to international leasing corporations—have joined the BDL to advocate for leasing interests in dialogue with legislators, public authorities, and the interested public. With its members holding over 90 percent market share, the BDL is the central point of contact for all questions related to leasing and its market.
The Federal Association for Debt Collection and Claims Management e.V. (BFIF e.V.) was founded in April 2010. The aim of the association is to bring together individuals and companies that operate commercially in the fields of debt collection and claims management, as well as individuals whose professional activities are closely related to these areas, such as judges, lawyers, judicial officers, and bailiffs.
An overview of the BFIF's topics:
The BFIF represents the professional interests and concerns of its members to the public, the economy, federal and state authorities, courts, associations, and third parties.
A key concern of the association is the exchange of information and experience among members, the promotion of professional development, and the advice and support of business founders.
Registration and licensing applications to the relevant registration authorities are carried out with the involvement and assessment of the association.
Legislation and legal practice are promoted in the interest of the association's members.
A main concern of the association is combating abuses in the field of legal advice/legal services and unfair competition.
The association is organized on a voluntary basis and does not aim to make a profit.
The BFM Federal Association for Factoring for Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises e.V. was founded in 2001 and is based in Berlin. BFM members benefit from background information and open, collegial exchange within the association. On specific issues, such as financial supervision or current legal challenges, expert knowledge is provided. Additional services are offered through professional events, training programs, and exclusive refinancing line offers.
The BFM is the central representative body for medium-sized factoring companies in Germany. The association advocates for the interests of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), particularly for bank-independent liquidity procurement.
The goal of the association's work is to inform about the financing model of factoring, promote its use, and help shape the best possible framework conditions around the topic. Companies looking for a suitable factoring provider or with questions about receivables sales will find competent contacts at the BFM.
The Federal Association for Loan Purchase and Servicing e.V. (BKS) was founded in 2007 and is a professional association based in Berlin that represents the interests of companies dealing with non-performing loans (NPLs) on the creditor side in Germany. This includes both investors who purchase these loans and servicers who manage or recover them.
The BKS pursues several key objectives: defining and safeguarding the professional interests of its members, developing, refining, and establishing uniform rules and standards for the trading and management of NPLs, and participating in relevant legislative initiatives.
Additionally, it promotes the exchange of experience between investors and servicers, upholds the reputation of the profession through professional and corporate governance rules, supports education and training as well as academic research in the NPL field, and maintains international contacts in the profession. To achieve these goals, BKS organizes events, working groups, and training programs, publishes materials, represents the industry publicly, and develops guidelines and standards.
Membership in BKS is open to individuals and legal entities primarily engaged in NPL-related activities. Supporting memberships are also available. The association is mainly funded through membership fees and is listed in the German Bundestag’s lobby register. The governing bodies of BKS are the General Assembly, the Executive Board, and the Advisory Board. The Executive Board consists of the President, two Vice Presidents, the Treasurer, and seven assessors. It manages the association’s affairs with the help of the office and represents it externally. The office handles the association’s operations on behalf of the Executive Board. The Advisory Board advises the Executive Board, develops guidelines and standards for the NPL market, and is appointed by the Executive Board. The General Assembly, as the highest body, elects the Executive Board, decides on amendments to the statutes, and sets the guidelines for the association’s work.
The DDV is the largest national association of dialogue marketers in Europe and one of the leading industry associations in the communications sector in Germany. Its members represent the entire value chain of dialogue marketing: agencies, address and information service providers, telemedia and call center services, direct mail providers, and advertising companies. Thus, the DDV represents the full spectrum of the industry.
With its office in the capital, the DDV is present where German policy is made. From Berlin, it acts as a point of contact for ministries and parliamentary groups, monitoring all initiatives that could impact the dialogue marketing industry. As a member of the European umbrella organization FEDMA, the association is also a recognized expert partner for the EU Commission on relevant regulatory initiatives at the European level.
The DDV and its members promote and enhance the freedom of communication. They shape responsible dialogue between people, businesses, and politics. To ensure the diverse application and development of dialogue marketing, the DDV engages in intensive lobbying efforts in both Berlin and Brussels.
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The association Die Wirtschaftsauskunfteien e.V. (formerly VdH) represents the interests of major commercial credit agencies. The purpose of the association is to consolidate the interests of commercial credit agencies through a voluntary alliance of companies and business associations active in this sector and to promote them through a shared objective. The association represents its members' interests by engaging with supervisory authorities of the federal states, ministries, and political decision-makers on issues that are crucial to its members' activities. This is done, for example, through the creation of position papers or in the context of personal discussions. Another key concern of the association is to establish quality standards for the industry. This primarily concerns the area of data protection, which holds particular importance for commercial credit agencies.