BERLIN (Reuters) – Asked about plans to build a Rheinmetall <RHMG.DE> factory in Turkey, a German Economy Ministry spokesman said setting up a company abroad did not require permission from the German government but transferring knowledge did.
“Just founding a firm abroad is not subject to foreign trade law but transferring knowledge to a firm abroad, for example, which also happens if you start up production, is subject to foreign trade law and would need to be approved by us,” a spokesman for the Economy Ministry said on Wednesday.
Rheinmetall started making plans for a factory in Turkey more two years ago. The group’s CEO Armin Papperger told German newspaper Tagesspiegel last month that it was not yet producing anything.
(Reporting by Sabine Siebold; Writing by Michelle Martin and Victoria Bryan; Editing by Madeline Chambers)