The invention relates to a device for contactless communication between a surgical apparatus and at least one surgical instrument. The surgical apparatus comprises a control and evaluation device to which is assigned a writing or reading device which is connected to an antenna for the apparatus. The instrument is assigned at least one writable and readable memory device, embodied as an RFID transponder, which is connected to an antenna for the instrument, so that data can be exchanged between the writing or reading device of the surgical apparatus and the memory device of the instrument by means of wireless communication.