The atmosphere in the German Chancellery was positive, and the exchange was trustful, Adrian reported. "As an entrepreneur, you are always a bit optimistic. So, I am optimistic that something good will ultimately come out of it."

Economy in a Difficult Underlying Condition

There are no concrete agreements at this stage, "but I believe the foundations are in place," said the DIHK President. The coalition partners had recognized the difficult situation the economy is in: "For the past six years, we've effectively had zero growth in Germany. We are lagging behind the global economy. We have the highest number of bankruptcies. Overall, we are really in a very challenging underlying condition."

Doing Homework Within the Country

Of course, there are many external factors, Adrian said, citing current wars and the disruptions to energy and raw material supplies associated with them. "But all the more reason for us to do our homework within the country. And the pressure for reform is large, and this came across very clearly." He believes the situation will improve after the meeting. "The pressure is big, and the fact that the Chancellor has introduced a Minister for State Modernization shows that this is a matter of importance, that this is a key topic."

Adrian highlighted the more than 64 billion euros that the economy spends annually on bureaucratic obligations: "We could achieve about three percent of the gross domestic product alone if we were finally able to do away with this mountain of bureaucracy."

Overcoming the Crisis Through Structural Reforms

He sees great willingness among all involved parties to come to consensual solutions, the DIHK President reported. This is challenging given very different positions, he acknowledged. But he personally believes that in this crisis situation, the structural reforms delayed over many years are possible.

Adrian: "The government has a major interest in scoring here. It doesn’t have much time left to score. And therefore, I am actually very optimistic."

The complete video contribution can be found on ZDF's website.