In the end, it got really exciting again. The finish was a heartbeat finale and not for the faint-hearted.

By Thomas Wuttke

Do you ever hear that? In a criminal story 2/3 of the time are over, but the case is already solved and the protagonists treat themselves to a beer at the bar. But there's still something to come... A twist, a surprise, an insight that shakes everything up again.

It was something like that in the final part of the PMI Germany Chapter merger project. Originally, the general meetings for the approval of the merger were supposed to take place already in April 2020. Thanks to Corona, everything had to be postponed - but politics had subsequently laid the groundwork for virtual general meetings. And so, after the summer break, the membership meetings at the participating chapters were held in September 2020. The approvals of the members were all more than 90%. Done. Done? The remainder is only a matter of formalities. Register the association and the whole thing is done. This is the moment when the protagonists in a crime novel meet at the bar.The following restriction hovered over us: The registration had to take place in 2020 because, in formal legal terms, the merger had already begun on January 1, 2020. Define 2020? 31.12.2020 23:59h.

Back to the general meetings. So all have agreed, all over 90%. If we give the Berlin legal officers 6 weeks, we can expect registration in mid-November. That was then the basis for planning the next steps.
In October the first questions were asked, what the status of things was? Berlin: We have no idea, we are waiting for the documents. Frankfurt? Uh, we're waiting for the documents from Munich (you have to know that the merger agreements were all concluded dependently). Munich? Uh, we are waiting for the registration from Berlin. Deadlock.

November. You could also call this a general mobilization of the notary's offices and association register offices in Berlin, Frankfurt and Munich. Almost daily phone calls to break the vicious circle. Somewhere, someone somehow misunderstood or entered something wrong. Or the administrative office processes in Munich, Berlin and Frankfurt are different. Or both.The November lockdown begins. The notary's offices are no longer fully staffed, but some are back in their home offices. The offices of the registry courts are also partially staffed, they just do not have access from home.

December. The registry court in Berlin sends out reminders about where the documents are, since the deadline is December 31. For the first time, the concept of "stopping the clock" is brought into play, as the social partners sometimes do. Or the EU parliamentarians, when once again negotiations go on for far too long. Agenda: daily phone calls. Rumor goes that the chapter president from Munich is now on a first-name basis with the Munich notary. But this is only a rumor ...

Christmas is coming. Completely in contrast to a notice of completion. 10 days to go. If we miss this milestone, the entire legal process will start all over again. Notary merger minutes, annual financial statements, general meetings and of course - phone calls.
As in the days before, the register of associations in Berlin is constantly checked online. And what? A miracle happens. It is Christmas. It is registered. Without a message. Without info. Just like that. A bit fitting for the unglamorous Christmas crib in the stable. And so our entry has been made. Without frankincense and myrrh. Not even straw.

The notary (!) sends a Christmas congratulation and says, "that such a merger with several legal entities is a difficult birth, but we have made it. It is unclear whether the now "former" chapter president from Munich thanks him with a "Thank you Adi".

And then comes the official letter. Hollywood-like on 31.12.2020 (!) the registration message from the Berlin registry court is in the mailbox of the association address.

Has anyone seen my blood pressure pills?