In our TransporTrends series in cooperation with Kompetenznetzwerk Logistik.NRW / LOG-IT Club e.V. we regularly report on current topics, decisions & trends in transport and logistics law - this time on the new established specialized jurisdiction for freight, forwarding, and warehousing diputes in North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW). Dr. Jan Hermeling from our Transport & Logistics team highlights what this means in practice for companies in the freight, forwarding, and warehousing sectors.
As of July 1, 2025, companies operating in the fields of freight, forwarding, and warehousing must prepare for legal disputes in North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) to primarily be heard before the Regional Court of Aachen and the Higher Regional Court of Cologne.
According to the Second Ordinance Amending the Judicial Jurisdiction Ordinance dated June 3, 2025, the Ministry of Justice of NRW has designated the Regional Court of Aachen as the competent court for all legal disputes (where the amount in dispute exceeds EUR 5,000) arising from forwarding and freight contracts related to cross-border road transport (CMR) and rail transport (CIM). In addition, the Higher Regional Court of Cologne will have jurisdiction over all appeals and complaints in both cross-border and domestic legal disputes concerning freight, forwarding, and warehousing matters.
These new special jurisdictions are set out in the newly introduced Section 28a of the NRW Judicial Jurisdiction Ordinance (JuZuVO NRW) and apply to proceedings initiated after July 1, 2025.
The ordinance aims to restructure logistics and transport law in NRW through a focus on subject-matter expertise, procedural efficiency, and legal certainty. The goal: clarity for businesses, faster proceedings, and expert rulings – with Aachen and Cologne as new central venues for the logistics industry.
What should be considered?
Parties to a contract may still agree on the jurisdiction of any court. However, if such a choice of court lies within NRW, the Regional Court of Aachen must be designated in cases involving cross-border transport under the CMR or CIM regimes. The special jurisdiction takes precedence. Given the typically short limitation periods in cross-border transport law, attention to this jurisdictional requirement is of high practical relevance in the event of a dispute.
THE AUTHOR AS WELL AS YOUR USUAL CONTACT PERSONS ARE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE!
Dr. Jan Hermeling
hermeling@tigges.legal
+49 211 8687 138
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