The Association A feature of economic and social life is the great diversity of opinions and interests. Channelling them into a democratic willforming process is the task of, among others, professional associations. They inform their members about major developments, formulate common concerns and argue their case in the political and public arena.
Associations therefore play an important role in a pluralistic democracy.
In March 1999, it moved from Cologne to Berlin. The German banking industry is dominated by the universal banks, which engage in all types of banking business. The private commercial banks affiliated to the Association compete keenly with one another. They include both big and small banks, banks operating worldwide and banks with a regional focus, universal banks and banks specialising in individual lines of business.