A concern (German: Konzern [kɔnˈtsɛʁn] ⓘ) is a type of business group common in Europe, particularly in Germany.
It results from the merger of several legally independent companies into a single economic entity under unified management.
On the other hand, the Group concept in the Banking Act is to the formation of a borrower unit to access large credit facilities.
An Aktiengesellschaft differs from a Gesellschaft mit beschränkter Haftung (GmbH), which is analogous to limited liability companies in other countries.
A GmbH is regulated under the Gesetz betreffend die Gesellschaften mit beschränkter Haftung of 1892 (GmbH-Gesetz; literally "law concerning companies with limited liability").