Starting a Business in Berlin

84 85 Starting a Business in Berlin A Beginner’s Guide CHAPTER 8 For the near future ADDITIONAL INSTITUTIONS TO BE AWARE OF When they become self-employed, traders join either the Chamber of Crafts and Skilled Trades or the Chamber of Industry and Commerce. According to German legislation, membership of a body that can exercise official authority, represent the interests of all its members on a political level and provide a comprehensive package of services is statutory. New entrepreneurs should also be aware of the GEMA and the GEZ, which play an important role in copyright protection for musical works and the funding of public-service broad- casting, respectively. The Chamber of Industry and Commerce (IHK) The work of the Berlin Chamber of Industry and Commerce (Industrie- und Handelskammer, IHK) is geared towards making Berlin a better place to do business for the compa- nies that operate there. This is achieved by actively involving