Germany: Real Estate and Construction

German tax accounting rules for building-related expenditures are undergoing significant change, particularly affecting energy-efficient refurbishments. Recent guidance from the Institute of Public Auditors and the Federal Ministry of Finance has expanded the scope of capitalizable costs, creating potential divergences between commercial and tax treatment that require careful navigation by tax advisors.

We recently launched the first edition of HSF Kramer's Germany Construction & Infrastructure Disputes Newsletter in which we highlight recent developments in German construction law...

On Oct. 9, 2025, the German parliament (Bundestag) adopted the Act to Accelerate Residential Construction and Secure Housing (Gesetz zur Beschleunigung des Wohnungsbaus und zur Wohnraumsicherung, Act).

The Court of Justice of the European Union ruled that Portugal's real estate transfer tax on restructurings violates the Capital Duty Directive when applied to share contributions in companies holding real estate. This landmark decision has significant implications for German real estate transfer tax law, where similar provisions exist for share deals involving property-holding companies, potentially rendering certain tax assessments incompatible with EU law.

German tax accounting rules for building-related expenditures are undergoing significant change, particularly affecting energy-efficient refurbishments. Recent guidance from the Institute of Public Auditors and the Federal Ministry of Finance has expanded the scope of capitalizable costs, creating potential divergences between commercial and tax treatment that require careful navigation by tax advisors.

Der Markt für gewerbliche Immobilienfinanzierung in Deutschland durchläuft eine fundamentale Neuordnung, die weit über eine vorübergehende Korrektur hinausgeht. Die Spielregeln haben sich in den letzten vier Jahren grundlegend verändert, wobei League Tables über die tatsächliche Marktdynamik hinwegtäuschen, da sie einen erheblichen Anteil an Prolongationen enthalten.

Mit Urteil vom 8. Juli 2025 (Az. 6 K 6040/22) hat das Finanzgericht Berlin-Brandenburg entschieden, dass die Vermietung von Betriebsvorrichtungen durch eine grundstückshaltende...

In its ruling on July 8, 2025 (Ref. 6 K 6040/22), the Berlin-Brandenburg Finance Court declared that the leasing of operating facilities by a property-owning company constitutes an activity that is detrimental...

In its decision of May 13, 2025, the Federal Court of Justice (BGH) significantly tightened the requirements for the classification of energy facilities as "customer facilities" in accordance with Section 3 No. 24a Energy Industry Act (EnWG).