Panic in Germany: “We are losing companies, we are losing value creation”

 "Industry President Siegfried Russwurm is very worried about Germany. And he is making several demands specifically for the Chancellor.

 

     Industry President Siegfried Russwurm is calling for a much faster pace in relieving the burden on companies. Politics must get going, said the President of the Federation of German Industries (BDI) on Tuesday at a BDI climate congress in Berlin.

 

As an industrial and export nation, Germany will continue to be “left behind” in international competition if we continue as before. “We are losing companies, we are losing value creation,” said Russwurm.

 

     With regard to the "Germany Pact" proposed by Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD), he criticized the federal and state governments for pointing at each other and making no progress. Scholz must now show leadership. Among other things, the Chancellor wants to use the pact to speed up the approval process. Russwurm said the new pace in Germany, which was much touted by the Chancellor when it came to building a liquid gas infrastructure, could only be identified in individual cases.

 

     Russwurm described the transport of a wind turbine through Germany as an example. The procedure requires around 150 permits, and the next turbine then needs the same ones. Despite tight budgets, the government must set priorities. “That’s leadership,” says Russwurm. "Without them it won't work." The Chancellor is asked here.

 

     Relief from energy costs

 

     Russwurm also suggests concrete measures. On the sidelines of the climate congress, he called for a reduction in electricity taxes and network fees. Overall, this is initially more important than an industrial electricity price Russwurm on Tuesday in the ARD's "Morgenmagazin". "This works for everyone - for every company, but also for private consumers."

 

     In view of the high energy prices compared to international standards, the federal government has been debating relief for weeks.

 

However, there are sometimes different views in the coalition of SPD, Greens and FDP. A “chemistry summit” is planned in the Chancellery on Wednesday with representatives of the federal government, the industry and the federal states.

 

     Federal Transport Minister Volker Wissing (FDP) said at the BDI congress that something had to happen now. He sees with horror that in many places in Germany and the EU people are standing in their own way. A growth-oriented transformation policy is now necessary. Germany must remain an industrial country." [1]

 

You, dear Germans, are at fault that you have the high energy prices compared to international standards. Remember you kept locked the gas turbine needed to pump Russian gas? Remember, you agreed on sanctions for Russia, hoping for their miraculous unprecedented effect? Remember, you wanted to put German tanks into Ukraine again? Did you think, that after what happened with your tanks in WWII there, the optics will be OK? Russia is still doing great. You are not.

 

1. "Wir verlieren Unternehmen, wir verlieren Wertschöpfung"
Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (online)Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung GmbH. Sep 26, 2023.