About US

The Representative of German Industry and Trade (RGIT) is the Washington, DC liaison office of the Federation of German Industries (Bundesverband der Deutschen Industrie - BDI) and the Association of German Chambers of Industry and Commerce (Deutscher Industrie und Handelskammertag - DIHK).

RGIT fulfills a vital role on behalf of German industry by:

• Representing the interests of the German business community before all branches of the federal government, as well as before international organizations such as the World Bank and IMF, by presenting position papers, statements, and briefs, and by direct advocacy;
• Reporting regularly to our principals on developments relating to political and economic issues, as well as on legislative activities in the U.S., and providing our partners in the United States with information on German business;
• Hosting events and briefings on a range of trade and investment related issues throughout the year, and fostering an exchange of information for experts in fields ranging from transatlantic trade to economic and industrial policy;Organizing trade missions, offering networking opportunities, and serving as a focal point and crossroads where government, industry, academia, policy institutions and think tanks can come together to discuss matters relevant to the transatlantic community;
• Cooperating closely with the German American Chambers of Commerce (GACC) in New York, Atlanta, and Chicago, and providing information and support to the GACC network’s 2,500 member companies, thereby aiding the GACC network in fostering bilateral trade relations, improving the investment climate, and adding additional value to the consulting services the GACC network offers member companies.

Germany matters as a trade partner and as a source of investment

• The member companies represented by the GACC network and supported by RGIT have invested on the order of $211 billion in the U.S.
• A 2011 Congressional Research Service report indicates that U.S. affiliates of German parent companies support nearly 650,000 jobs in the U.S., of which 188,000 are in the manufacturing sector.

Founded in 1988, RGIT is supported by Germany’s Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology and serves as the voice of German Industry on behalf of RGIT’s principals, the BDI and DIHK. RGIT maintains registrations under both the Foreign Agents Registration Act and the Lobby Disclosure Act.