Performing cross-border services from an EU country in Berlin

Are you already legally employed in a Member State of the European Union or another state party to the Agreement on the European Economic Area (EEA)? Then you do not have to be established as a service provider in Berlin (or Germany) in order to be able to work here too, but can work cross-border under certain conditions.

This can be useful if you intend to:

• Provide the service only temporarily in Berlin
• Provide the service only for a specific customer in Berlin
• Explore the market before expanding your business to Berlin

Whether you need to obtain permits and licences depends on whether you are working in a regulated or non-regulated profession.

Regulated professions

If you want to work in a regulated profession in Berlin, for example, as a master craftsman, you will have already acquired the necessary permits and qualifications in your home country and can prove this.

You do not have to request permits or licences, but you will have to register your activity with the authority responsible for recognition of your professional qualification.

In the case of a craft, for instance, this is the Handwerkskammer Berlin (Berlin Chamber of Crafts).

• Overview of offices in charge of regulated professions

• The European Commission’s database with all regulated professions within the EU

Non-regulated professions

If you want to offer a service in a non-regulated profession in Germany, you can perform your self-employed activity without registering with the competent authority. In the case of non-regulated professions, access to or pursuit of the profession is not subject to any specific national qualification requirements. This means that the profession can be practised without state approval.

However, this does not apply to services in areas excluded from the European Services Directive, such as healthcare, financial services, taxation, transport or gambling. In order to be self-employed in these areas, permits and licences from the competent authorities are required.

You can use the following services online via our portal

• B
• C
• D

• B back to top
  • Business - Notification of cross-border provision of services
• C back to top
  • Craft - Approval for providing temporary cross-border services in the area of crafts requiring approval
• D back to top
  • Directory / list of architects and urban planners - registration