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The economy plays a central role in ensuring Germany's defence capability. In a position from mid-2025, the DIHK explains the tasks companies would assume and how the IHK Organisation supports collaboration with security authorities in diverse security situations.
The altered geopolitical security situation imposes new requirements on companies and institutions. Close cooperation between the economy and security authorities is becoming increasingly significant. On June 25th, 2025, the DIHK Presidium adopted the following position.
The Paper in Full
As of February 2022, with the expansion of Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine, the geopolitical security situation has changed dramatically. The economy is impacted not only by disrupted supply chains, high energy prices, and hybrid threats but also through the need to ensure Germany's defence capability and adapt to an evolving political world order. From today's perspective, these challenges are immense due to the insufficient investment in civilian and military infrastructure, defence, and security since the end of the Cold War.
The political course corrections concerning defence and crisis prevention have direct implications for companies and the economy overall. Companies, for instance, play a vital role in logistics and population as well as troop supplies. On the national level, the paradigm shift was initiated with the "National Security Strategy" and the "National Security and Defence Industry Strategy." Additionally, defence spending has been secured long-term through amendments to the Constitution. The federal government has announced further concrete measures, such as the establishment of a National Security Council, accelerated procurement processes, enhancement of security-relevant infrastructure, and removal of export barriers for "Dual-Use" goods. A voluntary military service is also proposed. These measures hold great importance for the economy.
Under the lead of the Federal Ministry of the Interior and in cooperation with the Federal Ministry of Defence (BMVg), the "Framework Directive for Total Defence" was revised in 2024. It outlines the interaction between military and civilian actors, addressing measures like those of the Bundeswehr and elements of civil protection such as telecommunications, cybersecurity, transportation, energy, raw material, healthcare, food supply, and the security and integration of the economy. Total defence is comprehended as an all-encompassing economic and societal task. The current challenges concerning external security and economic protection amplify the urgency of measures long demanded by the economy, such as reducing bureaucracy, modernising infrastructure, expediting planning and approval procedures, defining clear administrative and security authority responsibilities, increasing productivity, and attracting skilled workers.
The economy recognizes its crucial role and takes responsibility for supporting Germany's defense capabilities.
Peter Adrian
-- DIHK-Präsident
Thus, total defence pertains to many economic sectors, from medium-sized suppliers needing critical raw materials and pre-products, logistics companies delivering everyday products to retail and wholesale, banks ensuring financing and cash supply, the healthcare industry which beyond civilian care must also address injured personnel during emergencies, programmers developing cybersecurity software, energy suppliers guaranteeing water, electricity, and fuel provision, and lastly, security and defence industry with its thousands of suppliers.
Through the implementation of the Bundeswehr "Operations Plan Germany", the focus expands from economic policy to operational levels, emphasizing civil-military collaboration regionally. Besides companies, the IHKs fulfill a key function. As the interface between the economy and Bundeswehr, they inform and advise businesses, provide networking formats, and organise local connections to the Bundeswehr and civil protection organisations. In various constitutional situations in Germany, the IHKs can also perform sovereign functions as public corporations, such as issuing statements on employees' indispensable positions within companies. According to the Economic Stabilisation Act, the IHKs could be directly involved.
The indispensable role of the IHK Organisation and its member companies in the context of international and national security policy also involves preparations for severe security situations and tasks that companies must fulfil during emergencies. While these activities aim to prevent emergencies, they also include material and organisational readiness for such situations.
The Key Points
Overall, it is in the interest of both the economy and the Bundeswehr for Germany to more consistently reduce unnecessary bureaucracy and accelerate planning and approval procedures. This is particularly important for defence-related infrastructure as time is of the essence. The German Chamber of Commerce and Industry (IHK) organisation has submitted proposals for accelerating planning and approval procedures to the Federal Government. These should be comprehensively and quickly implemented.
However, initial acceleration measures implemented fall short because they focus, for example, on railways and do not also include projects for roads, waterways, and airports – particularly regional airports. Only with thoroughgoing and extensive acceleration of planning and approval procedures can the funding opportunities for private companies created by the Special Infrastructure Fund be sensibly utilised and translated into investments and production processes. Advancing the renovation of the entire infrastructure –including barracks and training grounds – is an essential prerequisite for a successful overall defence concept. In implementing the measures, synergies, multiple uses, and other positive effects for the overall economy should be actively identified and utilised.
Operational infrastructure is the key to defence capabilities. Therefore, the Federal Government wants to resolve the backlog of renovations at bridges and tunnels with infrastructure investments. Modernisation and elimination of bottlenecks in transport, expansion of the power grid, and decentralised power generation units should be swiftly implemented. This also applies nationwide to the designation of commercial spaces, particularly for production facilities of the security and defence industries and their suppliers. Simpler and faster should also apply to projects agreed upon at the European level. In the event of a conflict, Germany will only function as a hub for military transport and movement if the central transport infrastructure and resilient energy networks meet increased requirements. This also includes creating parallel structures at critical points – for instance, multiple rail connections from ports to the inland. Investments in resilient and efficient infrastructures should be undertaken in such a way that they meet the requirements of overall defence but also the needs of the economy.
Public planning authorities should stop reassigning or dismantling existing infrastructures, such as port, rail, and commercial spaces, to ensure long-term planning and utilisation security. In addition to the areas needed for enhancing defence capabilities, there are land requirements for industrial settlements. Restrictive planning specifications, such as adhering to land conservation targets, should not hinder the expansion of defence capabilities or economic development.
The Federal Government has announced its intention to "codify the concerns and infrastructure measures for overall defence as overriding public interest and prioritise their implementation over other governmental tasks." This does not negate other interests and considerations; the necessary measures will, however, be treated with high importance without generally neglecting other protected assets. Additionally, concerning the scope of planned construction measures, existing systems for construction site coordination in Germany urgently need improvement. A comprehensive digital construction site management system should be introduced to provide companies nationwide with understandable and reliable information for route planning.
Due to the high renovation needs of many Bundeswehr properties, specific acceleration measures are required in this area so that the construction industry's capacities bound here can quickly again become available to the economy and infrastructure modernisation. The Bavarian law to support the Bundeswehr, for example, could serve as a model here. Furthermore, the Federal Government should review the procedure of public participation, especially regarding the security and defence industry and companies in critical infrastructure sectors. Publicly viewable plans for the construction or expansion of security-relevant production facilities or facilities of critical infrastructure are susceptible to espionage and sabotage activities.
The security policy situation demands a significant strengthening of defence capabilities – both structural and personnel-wise. The planned expansion of the Bundeswehr and the political debate over reinstating military service raise the question of reconciling defence capability with the already strained job market and the evident shortage of skilled workers in many sectors. A defence strategy should comprehensively address workforce integration.
The IHK underscores the urgent need for companies and governmental bodies to enhance resilience, particularly in cybersecurity, energy infrastructure, and supply chains.
It is necessary to have an enabling state for companies to operate successfully. The security and defence industry's market is distinguished by two specific traits: it is heavily regulated, and, primarily, governments themselves are the major purchasers of products. These unique attributes require tailored frameworks differing from those for "regular" markets.
Strengthening the Economic Infrastructure
The DIHK, IHKs, and AHKs play a pivotal role in ensuring robust connections between civilian governance, businesses, and military needs, emphasizing resilience and collaboration.
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