You will find this mark of origin on many tools manufactured in Germany. Tools that, piece by piece, are rightfully identified as "made in Germany".

Companies in the German tool industry represented by their trade association stand behind this mark.

Strict application guidelines and registrations of the mark as Collective Mark in the European Union and in United Kingdom ensure that only members of the "Fachverband Werkzeugindustrie e.V." (FWI) are permitted to use the mark "Deutsches Werkzeug – made in Germany" with their own brand.

A mark as good as a guarantee!

Germany is highly renowned worldwide as a production location. The sustained success of exporting German industrial goods is in large part due to the made in Germany "brand".

As an industry that grew and is rooted in Germany, the German tool industry benefits from this brand's prestige. Tools with the "made in Germany" mark of origin and quality continue to offer benefits for the user thanks to their quality, sophistication and innovative detailed solutions, thereby justifying their higher price. As a result, those companies that consistently continue utilising and building on these strengths in Germany – while correctly observing the conditions for using the brand in compliance with the rules – will have the best opportunities in the future.

The familiar phrase "made in Germany" that is in demand both domestically and abroad is an eye-catching, positive mark of origin that is usually applied to the tool itself. It has no relevance for customs law and is applied under the manufacturer's responsibility. Even though it has the character of a quality mark in the eyes of many customer groups, it officially constitutes nothing more than a geographic indication of origin that can be traced back to the "Madrid Agreement" of 1891. In Germany the rules of this agreement were integrated into the Act Against Unfair Competition (UWG). The UWG merely prohibits making any misleading statements to the consumer or user regarding the origin of goods. Yet the aura of this "quality mark" generally benefits tool manufacturers who emphasise their in-house production depth in Germany.

Even though the "made in Germany" mark is voluntary and not actually protected, there are rules for marking that need to be followed. Since "made in Germany" causes the consumer to have special expectations regarding product quality and reliability, what are known as "production steps that form the basis of quality" that need to be carried out in Germany are required for this eye-catching mark, in contrast to the value rules that apply for the origin of goods under customs law.

From the perspective of the relevant public, what are the production steps that form the basis of quality?

The legal framework is initially established by Sections 126, 127 and 128 of the Trademark Act (MarkenG) (geographical indication of origin) and Section 5 of the Act Against Unfair Competition (UWG) (misleading advertising). Recently the perspective of the consumer has increasingly come into the focus of legal evaluation in case of disputes.