"The DIHK hereby presents the 'Economic Policy Positions' approved by its plenary assembly. This decision followed an intensive coordination process involving companies of varying sizes, numerous sectors, manufacturers and providers of diverse goods and services, various markets whether national, European, or global – the German Chambers of Commerce and Industry (IHKs), and their member companies contributed, particularly with a focus on regional concerns.

The DIHK is keenly involved at both national and European levels in legislative processes. DIHK contributes through numerous statements each year and is regularly invited as an expert to hearings of parliamentary committees of the Bundestag and Bundesrat. The DIHK actively engages in political and topic-specific discussions in Berlin and Brussels. Together with the 79 German Chambers of Commerce and Industry (IHKs), DIHK represents the overall interests of the German business community.

The Economic Policy Positions provide a substantial foundation for economic policy work as well as statements and positions from DIHK. It outlines guidelines for fundamental stances in relevant policy fields. Nevertheless, through supplementary resolutions by DIHK committees, DIHK remains a learning organization, which adapts its proposals to address current developments relevant to the business community. It is vital that IHK member companies, politics, and society understand DIHK’s positions. Through its coordination of the worldwide network of German Chambers of Commerce Abroad, DIHK extends its activities to more than 90 countries. The DIHK incorporates experiences, feedback, and concerns from IHK members into the political opinion formation process.

The final discussions and approval of the Economic Policy Positions in November 2024 occur during a time of significant political challenges within Germany, Europe, and globally, marked by substantial unpredictabilities and serious interest conflicts, especially regarding geopolitical tensions. Alongside a clear economic and regulatory framework, businesses and politics today particularly rely on pragmatic solutions. However, pragmatism must remain grounded and not arbitrary. It is crucial to align actions and proposals with clear guidelines.

This holds even more weight, given the increasing risks associated with the diversity of issues and complexity of interdependencies, making it easier to lose sight of this compass.

The DIHK firmly believes that a stronger economy in Germany within a robust Europe, where regions are powerfully developing, will continue to be an appealing location where businesses and employees feel at home. This vision is the commitment that DIHK embraces."

To achieve these guidelines, the IHK organization contributes through:

Advocacy and Publications

• Business surveys; DIHK surveys among German Chambers of Commerce and Industry and German Chambers of Commerce Abroad (such as on internal market barriers 2024); analyses and studies, for example, DIHK Health Report or DIHK Report on Business Creation
• Concrete proposals for national legislation and EU consultations
• Participation as experts during hearings in the Bundestag and other institutions
• Involvement in commissions and advisory boards of the federal government
• Business dialogues with ministry and political representatives

Events, Training, Seminars, Conferences, and Working Groups

• Local-level initiatives from IHKs and federal-level events from DIHK
• Training, information sessions, and further education from IHKs for businesses, advancing and supporting them in vocational education, digitization, e-invoice, e-procurement
• Working groups, conferences, and online offerings, for example, to network regional healthcare providers, address bureaucratic reduction or statistics

Initiatives and Campaigns

• Support for national initiatives (such as "Economy Protection Initiative" from the national economic protection strategy, Action Group Against Product and Trademark Counterfeiting (APM) e.V.)
• Initiatives by IHKs in collaboration with German Chambers of Commerce Abroad like "Chambers for GreenTech" or "Young Energy Europe"
• Promoting entrepreneurship through 180,000 personal contacts annually and advisory services for business creation and succession planning. The latter includes about 30,000 consultations yearly with incumbent owners seeking successors and potential successors
• Joint training campaigns by IHKs and offers for career guidance and STEM promotion. Work by more than 160,000 volunteer examiners in vocational initial and continuing training, with about 300,000 final exams annually in vocational training, approximately 60,000 exams in further vocational training annually, 30,000 consultations in further education annually, and nearly 20,000 further training offers yearly for businesses and employees nationwide, plus initiatives to integrate university dropouts into vocational initial and continuing training
• Development and quality assurance of dual study programs, professional assessment procedures for experienced workers without formal qualifications and career changers, IHK-certified training courses such as "City/District Manager (IHK)"
• Initiation and support by IHKs for urban development concepts, smart city projects, master plans for retail, IHK participation in selection procedures for urban development funding measures
• Raising awareness among businesses and municipalities for digitization topics (online presence/trade, location-based services), cooperative construction site management during the construction phase through events and information

Regulatory and Public-Law Functions

• Arbitration boards for competition disputes at IHKs and assistance from IHKs against abusive warnings
• Implementation of a customer-friendly and digital access to the sovereign and service offerings of the IHK organization
• Pre-qualification processes for suppliers and service companies in public procurement (the so-called official register)

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DIHK Economic Policy Positions 2024 (PDF, 1 MB)(only available in German)

32 Positions in 9 Clusters

Below you can find the economic policy guidelines of DIHK across a total of 32 relevant policy fields. For clarity, we have grouped them into 9 clusters.