The German institutes for statutory accident insurance and prevention (the BGs) and the public sector accident insurers have taken the decision to create a joint umbrella organization for the statutory accident insurance system with effect from 1 July 2007. The new association arises from a merger of the federation of institutions for statutory accident insurance and prevention (Hauptverband der gewerblichen HVBG) and the central federation of public sector accident insurers (Bundesverband der Unfallkassen BUK) and will be called "Deutsche Gesetzliche Unfallversicherung" or DGUV (German Statutory Accident Insurance).

The members of the new association insure some 70 million people in Germany - employees, schoolchildren, students, and voluntary workers - against the effects of occupational disease and occupational and commuting accidents.

For further inforomation on this merger, see the press release.

Visit the new DGUV website at www.dguv.de.