DIHK President Peter Adrian said:  

11 February 2026 – "The global race for investment and innovation is gaining momentum, but Europe is increasingly falling behind. Excessive bureaucracy, high energy prices and a still fragmented single market are holding companies back, costing competitiveness. 

The European Commission has indeed asked the right questions with the 'Competitiveness Compass', but the convincing answers and the promised policy change are missing. Businesses are still waiting in vain for noticeable relief. Words alone are not enough; the decisive factor is what reaches companies in their daily operations. 

The heads of state and government are now called upon to fundamentally improve the economic framework: less bureaucracy, lower energy and labour costs, more competitive tax systems, a unified single market, a future-oriented EU budget and more room for innovation. Especially in view of global upheavals, Europe must once again become an attractive location for investors. Additional regulation or protectionist reflexes would send the wrong signal.  

We need policies that refocus on growth and entrepreneurial freedom. Resilience can be strengthened above all by giving companies better opportunities to diversify their sales and procurement markets. For this, the EU and the federal government must intensify their efforts for reliable partnerships and trade agreements."