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☆ Can Germany’s sputtering economy be revived in 2024?
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-10 | by ( Hanna Ziady | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

Europe’s biggest economy shrank last year for the first time since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic. And the outlook isn’t much brighter: the International Monetary Fund predicts that Germany will be the slowest-growing major economy in 2024, eking out an increase of just 0.5%. “Germany needs a fundamental economic transformation,” Marcel Fratzcher, president of the German Institute for Economic Research in Berlin, told CNN. Carsten Koall/Getty ImagesHomegrown troublesAlongside an external environment that has become more hostile to Germany’s outward-facing economy, the country’s internal political climate has worsened. Businesses such as these, which can find new markets and applications for their know-how, may hold the key to reviving Germany’s moribund economy.

Persons: What’s, ” Marcel Fratzcher, ”, Carsten Brzeski, Jens Schlueter, Constanze Stelzenmuller, Christian Lindner, Olaf Scholz, Robert Habeck, Carsten Koall, Michael Probst, Karl Haeusgen, ” Sebastian Shukla, Chris Stern Organizations: London CNN — Trains, Lufthansa, International Monetary Fund, European Union, European Commission, German Institute for Economic Research, CNN, ING, Brookings Institution, Volkswagen, Biden, Free Democratic Party, Social Democratic Party and, Green Party, Deutsche, LinkedIn, Investors, SAP, chipmaker Infineon, Intel, MAN Energy Solutions, Germany’s Machinery, Equipment Manufacturers Association Locations: Europe’s, Germany, Ukraine, Berlin, Europe, China, Zwickau, United States, Russia, “, Japan, masse, Frankfurt, ”, Hamburg, Jungheinrich, Augsburg, Munich, Esbjerg, Denmark

☆ German engineering production to fall further in 2024- VDMA association
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-12 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

REUTERS/Kai Pfaffenbach/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsBERLIN, Sept 12 (Reuters) - Germany's engineering association (VDMA) expects production in the sector to extend its decline next year, falling 2% dragged by weak orders domestically and abroad, its Chief Economist Ralph Wiechers said. Wiechers confirmed VDMA production forecast for 2023 of a 2% drop, adding that losses in the second half of the year would eat up the 1.7% growth recorded in the first six months. "2024 will be a kind of transition year," Wiechers told Reuters. German exports to China grew by 4.4% in the first half of the year but growth was still significantly less than in the United States where sales rose by 21.6%. Reporting by Tom Kaeckenhoff; Writing by Riham Alkousaa; Editing by Tomasz JanowskiOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Kuka, Mercedes Benz, Kai Pfaffenbach, Ralph Wiechers, Wiechers, Tom Kaeckenhoff, Riham Alkousaa, Tomasz Janowski Organizations: Daimler, REUTERS, Rights, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Rastatt, Germany, Ukraine, China, United States

[1/5] A view shows a sign for a heavy haulage convoy during transport of a nacelle of a wind turbine near a wind farm, in Biegen, Germany August 31, 2023. REUTERS/Lisi Niesner Acquire Licensing RightsBERLIN, Sept 7 (Reuters) - Germany's wind power expansion is facing an unexpected roadblock: builders need permits to transport the heavy turbines down the country's roads, and they are waiting months to get them. "Assuming nothing changes, it could cost 115 million euros extra by the end of the year," Felix Rehwald, a spokesperson for wind turbine manufacturer Enercon, told Reuters. Transport permits are needed to drive heavy loads over bridges and highways. The cost of applications had jumped to more than 1,000 euros per permit in 2021 from 100 euros, Nordex said.

Persons: Lisi Niesner, Felix Rehwald, Rehwald, Nordex, Kai Westphal, VDMA, Sebastian Steul, Steul, Morten Arnskov Boejesen, Soren Andersen, " Westphal, Johannes Gotfredsen, Toby Sterling, Riham, Thomas Escritt, Alexandra Hudson Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Reuters, Transport, GmbH, Wednesday, of, of Danish Industry, Danish, Directorate, Alexandra Hudson Our, Thomson Locations: Biegen, Germany, Netherlands, Denmark, of Danish, Copenhagen, Amsterdam

☆ German cabinet to pass China strategy on Thursday - government sources
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-12 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

BERLIN, July 12 (Reuters) - The German cabinet is to pass its long-promised China strategy on Thursday, two government sources told Reuters, after Chancellor Olaf Scholz's government last year ordered a review of how Germany interacts with its biggest trade partner. Scholz has repeatedly emphasised "de-risking" Germany's relationship to China, viewed by Berlin as an increasingly assertive competitor and strategic rival, thereby reducing dependencies on the country gradually rather than decoupling from the Chinese market. Among the changes under consideration are export controls, as well as the screening of investments by German companies doing business in China to protect the flow of sensitive technology and know-how. Germany's VDMA engineering industry association released a statement on Wednesday outlining its stance on the government's forthcoming strategy. "There must be no intervention in the export business or isolation from China," said VDMA President Karl Haeusgen.

Persons: Chancellor Olaf Scholz's, Scholz, Karl Haeusgen, Andreas Rinke, Friederike Heine, Miranda Murray, Nick Macfie Organizations: Greens, Thomson Locations: BERLIN, China, Germany, Berlin

☆ Germany says preparing for possible China export control impact
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-05 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

In 2022, China supplied 27 tonnes of gallium to Germany, accounting for 55% of total imports. Regarding germanium, China supplied 3 tonnes, or 75%, according to data supplied by the Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources (BGR). A German industry representative said earlier on Wednesday that China's decision may be in response to U.S. trade restrictions, but its impact will also be felt in Europe. "It is not yet possible to predict whether these measures will have an impact on our supply of these raw materials," Franziska Brantner, state secretary in Germany's economy ministry, told Reuters. "Based on what is known so far is initially only an export control measure, not restrictions," Brantner said.

Persons: Holger Kunze, Kunze, Franziska Brantner, Brantner, Germany's, Christoph Steitz, Riham, Rachel More, Friederike Heine, Alexander Smith, David Gregorio Our Organizations: Federal Institute for Geosciences, Natural Resources, Reuters, Thomson Locations: BERLIN, China, Beijing, United States, Germany, U.S, Europe, Brussels

German and Chinese national flags fly in Tiananmen Square ahead of the visit of German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Beijing, China, May 23, 2018. German investment and trade in China hit record levels in the first half of 2022 and big business says there's no question of pulling back from the world's second-biggest economy. A spokesperson for the economy ministry said it was closely following the investment behaviour of German companies as part of its strategic considerations on how to deal with China. The economy ministry declined to comment when asked about a meeting next year, or the remarks about Habeck. Reuters reported last month that the economy ministry was considering curbing export and investment guarantees as part of its new China strategy.

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