29/01/2025 - "The German economy urgently needs an economic policy restart with a clear focus on investments and growth. I miss impulses for such a departure in the federal government’s annual economic report. The new government must achieve a breakthrough in reducing bureaucracy so that the full potential in our country can be unleashed. Moreover, the long-promised "Germany-speed" must finally become a reality. The federal and state governments must quickly and comprehensively implement their acceleration pact. At the top of the agenda must also be the modernization of infrastructure and the goal of competitive energy costs.

After two years of recession, the federal government has now significantly downgraded its forecast for the current year. They expect only very weak growth. According to the current feedback from companies, we believe 2025 could even become a third consecutive year without growth. This would be a sad first in German post-war history. Internationally, we risk falling behind due to numerous structural burdens on the German economy. And these are far from only external challenges; many of them are self-inflicted: high energy costs, high tax and duty burdens, a lack of skilled workers, lengthy procedures, and overwhelming bureaucracy and reporting obligations. External factors do include geopolitical conflicts and increasing protectionism—which affects Germany as an export nation more heavily than other countries.

Germany has excellent skilled workers. We have innovative and creative companies with high resilience. With the right course settings after the federal election, we can harness this and be successful again in international competition."