In order to cope with the ongoing digitization and networking of the economy and society, the European Union wants to create the legal framework for a common digital single market. The Sale of Goods Directive and the Digital Content Directive are intended to contribute to this. Both directives were implemented in German law with effect from 1 January 2022. The result are, in particular, changes to the law on the sale of goods and newly created regulations for the purchase of digital products.

In a more recent decision, the Federal Court of Justice (ruling of 26. January 2021, case no. II ZR 391/18) has once again dealt with the so-called negative legitimation effect of the list of shareholders pursuant to sec. 16 para. 1 sentence 1 GmbHG within a short period of time. According to this, only the person who is entered as a shareholder in the list of shareholders included in the commercial register is deemed to be a shareholder vis-à-vis the GmbH. An exception applies to cases involving the exclusion of the shareholder from the company.