International Business News

Germany borders Belgium in the northwest and the border between the two countries is 204 kilometres long. The Vennbahn (running on disused railway lines), is now a cross-border cycle path that stimulates tourism. The route crosses the borders between Belgium, France and German and is almost 130 kilometres long in total. Belgium has three official languages and there are cultural similarities, as well as clear differences between Belgium and Germany.  

The border between Germany and the Netherlands is 567 kilometres long and even though opinions vary about the exact course of the line around the Ems River and its sunken coast, the two countries are very friendly. Since 1960, an equalisation treaty between Germany and the Netherlands has regulated the rest of the border, and a separate agreement is in place that applies to shipping traffic.

Although France and Italy are similar in many ways, there are a number of major differences between the two countries, whether in terms of their cuisine, their social lives or in the world of work. Here is an overview of the main cultural differences between France and Italy.  

At first glance, there are more similarities than differences between Austria and Switzerland. Both countries are located in the heart of Europe, are known for their mountain landscapes and are comparatively small. Both countries are popular skiing and holiday regions and the quality of life is also very similar. Nevertheless, there are many differences between the two and the most obvious one is the language.  

There are striking differences between Germany and Switzerland and the two countries do not always agree. One point of friction concerns the length of the border between the two countries. According to the Swiss the border is 363 kilometres, while the Germans believe it is 316 kilometres. The reason for the different figures comes from the course of the border on the Obersee Lake – which is part of Lake Constance.

Brazil is the largest country in South America, both in terms of area and population. It is home to over 209 million people and its largest city is São Paulo, which is also the largest city in South America and one of the largest cities in the world. There are about 228 languages spoken in Brazil. These include Portuguese and 11 other foreign or immigrant languages, as well as 217 indigenous languages. In the following article, you can learn more about what languages people speak in Brazil.  

Idioms are an important part of the English language. In order to speak English fluently; it is very useful to understand them and how to use them correctly. Here are some of the best-known English expressions, so that you can speak Shakespeare's language like a native speaker.  

A commercial contract is essential to protect a company or individual in the event of possible litigation and to provide a framework and security for  business relationships. Where there are transactions between two parties speaking different languages, it may be necessary to translate the commercial contract into English. In this case, it is important that the translation is carried out in due form, in accordance with local legal standards.

Invoices and receipts have been issued ever since the invention of writing and are intended to provide a certain degree of legal assurance to both the invoicing party and the recipient when it comes to services and payments. The common paper invoice has in the meantime been joined by those issued electronically, which are now to become mandatory for authorities throughout the EU.  

Foreign companies with annual revenue of over CHF 100,000 will have to pay VAT in Switzerland As of 1st January 2018, legislative VAT framework conditions in Switzerland will change for foreign companies.  This means that a foreign company with annual revenue of at least CHF 100,000 worldwide will have to pay VAT for all revenue earned in Switzerland and Liechtenstein. This applies in particular to areas related to the real estate and construction market. As long as a foreign company is active in Switzerland, it will have to pay VAT.