Central Association of German Business Associations for Commercial Brokerage and Sales

The Centralvereinigung Deutscher Wirtschaftsverbände für Handelsvermittlung und Vertrieb (CDH) e.V. — rendered in English as the Central Association of German Business Associations for Commercial Brokerage and Sales — is the leading umbrella organisation for commercial agents and independent sales businesses in Germany. Founded in 1902 in Berlin, it describes itself as the Spitzenverband (peak association) for sales companies operating at the B2B level across all industries. Its members are self-employed entrepreneurs active in commercial brokerage and sales representation, including manufacturers' representatives, commercial agencies, authorised dealers, sales engineering offices and merchandisers. CDH represents the interests of roughly 34,000 commercial brokerage businesses. It is structured as a registered voluntary association (eingetragener Verein) with its head office in the association house "Handel-Tourismus-Dienstleistung" in Berlin-Mitte. Ten regional business associations from across Germany, seven professional trade associations and, since October 2013, the franchisee association DIE FRANCHISENEHMER are affiliated with it. The professional associations cover sectors such as construction, medical products and healthcare, fashion/sport/accessories, food/wine/spirits, paper/packaging/office, technology and home environment. As an advocacy body, CDH represents its members at political level and participates in numerous national and international organisations and committees, including the Gemeinschaftsausschuss der Deutschen Gewerblichen Wirtschaft and the International Union of Commercial Agents and Brokers (IUCAB) based in Vienna. Its service portfolio for members spans legal advice on commercial agency law, sales law and authorised dealer law; litigation funding; brokerage matching between manufacturers and sales partners; purchasing advantages; and experience-exchange formats. It publishes the case-law collection on commercial agency and sales law, which contains nearly 1,500 decisions, through CDH-Wirtschaftsdienst GmbH. CDH operates several service vehicles. Together with a number of CDH regional associations it is a shareholder of eService GmbH, which runs the internet platform for trade and sales handelsvertreter.de. CDH legal GmbH, a company of the CDH regional associations, offers members litigation cost financing. The Institut für Handelsvermittlung und Vertrieb CDH e.V. commissions and supports academic research projects. CDH also organises and participates in trade fairs and exhibitions, offering free admission and brokerage services to members at events such as M.O.W. and interbad. Current leadership includes President Dirk P. Goeldner, Vice Presidents Klaudia Stein, Martin Brunner, Ralf Pape and Christoph Stoffel, Honorary President Horst Platz, and Hauptgeschäftsführer (chief executive) Eckhard Döpfer, in office since 1 October 2010. Otto Kern, a member from the 1950s, holder of many honorary offices, president from 1968 to 1980 and honorary president until his death in 2009, is an important figure in CDH history.

The Centralvereinigung Deutscher Wirtschaftsverbände für Handelsvermittlung und Vertrieb (CDH) was founded in 1902 in Berlin. It emerged as an umbrella organisation for the various German business associations representing commercial intermediaries and sales agents, a sector that grew with industrialisation and the expansion of national and international trade. From its early years, CDH functioned as a peak association (Spitzenverband), coordinating the interests of regional and sectoral associations and representing them vis-à-vis government, industry and trade. After the upheavals of the twentieth century, CDH re-established itself in the Federal Republic of Germany and continued to expand its network of regional associations. A significant figure in its post-war history is Otto Kern, who became a member in the 1950s, held numerous honorary offices, served as president from 1968 to 1980, and remained honorary president until his death in 2009. Under his and subsequent leadership, CDH consolidated its role as the central voice of commercial agents in Germany. In the late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries, CDH broadened its service offering beyond traditional advocacy. It established CDH-Wirtschaftsdienst GmbH, which publishes a comprehensive case-law collection on commercial agency and sales law, now containing nearly 1,500 decisions. Together with several CDH regional associations, it became a shareholder of eService GmbH, the company behind the online brokerage platform handelsvertreter.de. CDH legal GmbH was created by the regional associations to provide litigation cost financing to members. The Institut für Handelsvermittlung und Vertrieb CDH e.V. was set up to commission and support academic research. In October 2013, the franchisee association DIE FRANCHISENEHMER – Wirtschaftsverband der Franchisenehmer joined the CDH group, reflecting the evolving nature of independent sales and distribution models. CDH also strengthened its international ties, notably through membership in the International Union of Commercial Agents and Brokers (IUCAB) in Vienna and in the Gemeinschaftsausschuss der Deutschen Gewerblichen Wirtschaft. Leadership in the 2010s and 2020s has included President Dirk P. Goeldner, Vice Presidents Klaudia Stein, Martin Brunner, Ralf Pape and Christoph Stoffel, and Honorary President Horst Platz. Eckhard Döpfer has served as Hauptgeschäftsführer since 1 October 2010. The association continues to operate from the association house "Handel-Tourismus-Dienstleistung" in Berlin-Mitte, representing roughly 34,000 commercial brokerage businesses across all trade sectors.

• 2013

  DIE FRANCHISENEHMER franchisee association joins CDH in October.

• 2010

  Eckhard Döpfer becomes Hauptgeschäftsführer on 1 October.

• 2009

  Death of Otto Kern, Honorary President.

• 1980

  End of Otto Kern's presidency; he later becomes Honorary President.

• 1968

  Otto Kern becomes President of CDH (serves until 1980).

• 1902

  CDH founded in Berlin.

Germany's peak association (Spitzenverband) for B2B commercial agents and independent sales businesses, combining political advocacy, legal expertise and practical brokerage services.

• CDH legal GmbH litigation cost financing

  A company of the CDH regional associations providing members with litigation cost financing.

• handelsvertreter.de online platform

  Internet platform for trade and sales operated by eService GmbH, in which CDH and regional associations are shareholders.

• Case-law collection on commercial agency and sales law

  Published by CDH-Wirtschaftsdienst GmbH, containing nearly 1,500 decisions.

• Infothek legal, tax and business information portal

  Member-only downloads of fact sheets, judgments and BMF letters on law, tax and business.

• Trade fair brokerage services

  Free brokerage matching at trade fairs and exhibitions in Germany, including CDH fairs of the regional associations.

1. 1CDH e.V. der Spitzenverband für Handelsvertretungen im B2B-Vertriebcdh.de
2. 2Services CDH - Wirtschaftsverband für Handelsvermittlung & Vertriebcdh.de
3. 3Messen und Ausstellungen - CDH Wirtschaftsverband für Vertriebcdh.de
4. 4Infothek Recht Steuer Webinar Merkblätter - CDH Wirtschaftsverband für Vertriebcdh.de
5. 5Central Association of German Business Associations for Commercial Brokerage and Saleswikidata.org
6. 6Centralvereinigung Deutscher Wirtschaftsverbände für Handelsvermittlung und Vertriebde.wikipedia.org