Trade fairs & markets
Service description
Title 4 of the Trade Regulation Act regulates the organisation of markets and trade fairs. Markets with so-called "market privileges" are essential here. This means exemption from various regulations such as the Shop Closing Act, the Sunday and Public Holidays Act and, in some cases, the Trade Regulation Act.
The conditions for authorisation vary depending on the type of market. A large number of vendors must be represented at both specialised and annual markets (flea markets, etc.), and these markets may not be held either wholly or partially in shops.
Similar companies may not be excluded as participants without an objectively justified reason (prohibition of discrimination). The charging of an admission fee is only permitted for special markets.
Which documents are required?
Applications for determination are informal and must contain the following minimum information (in triplicate):
- Details of the authorised goods,
- Estimated number and composition of participants (provisional list of participants) divided into commercial and private vendors with complete address and range of goods,
- Conditions of participation,
- Certificate of good conduct and extract from the central trade register for the organiser and the persons responsible for the event,
- where necessary: site plans.
The application deadlines are not specified by law. It is strongly recommended that applications are submitted in good time, at least four weeks before the date of the event. Otherwise it could happen that another organiser has already "blocked" the planned period in which the market is to take place.
In the case of incomplete applications, it is not possible to set an authorisation, for example if the list of participants does not contain at least twelve commercial vendors. Furthermore, it is not possible to set a date if participation in the market event is only permitted to members of a specific group (such as a local trade association).