International Trade in Germany

News Related to International Trade in Germany

• Germany disputes hard EU stance on China solar panel duties - May 14, 2013

  BERLIN, May 13 (Reuters) - Germany distanced itself on Monday from the European Commission's proposal to impose punitive import duties on solar panels from China, saying it would prefer an amicable solution.

  Source: Reuters

• Germany launches potato price fix probe - May 14, 2013

  Germany has launched a probe into suspected potato price fixing over the past decade which may have cost consumers and farmers hundreds of millions of Euro, local media reported Saturday.The national competition regulator is investigating allegations that at least nine production and distribution plants.....

  Source: FreshPlaza

• Germany: Cruise Ship EUROPA 2 Christened - May 14, 2013

  In line with the motto “Great moments. Truly exclusive.” the newly- built EUROPA 2 has been christened in celebratory and stylish fashion by Hapag-Lloyd Cruises on 10 May 2013, during the 824th HAMBURG PORT ANNIVERSARY. Godmother Dana Schweiger smashed the champagne bottle against the bow of the ship near Blankenese, Hamburg. The special invitees on [...]

  Source: World Maritime News

• Arabian Explorers Seeks New Markets with Participation at IMEX in Germany - May 14, 2013

  (MENAFN Press) Aiming to capitalise on the current interest in the UAE as a leading venue for meetings and events, Dubai-based Arabian Explorers will exhibit at IMEX in Frankfurt from May 21 to 23, ...

  Source: Menafn.com

• Germany suggests 'two-step' approach to banking union - May 14, 2013

  (MENAFN - AFP) German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble on Monday called for a "two-step approach" towards a European banking resolution mechanism, building on systems already in place in a number ...

  Source: Menafn.com

• France, Germany plan 'New Deal' for jobless youths - May 14, 2013

  (MENAFN - AFP) Germany and France plan to launch this month a "New Deal for Europe" against youth unemployment, which has topped 50 percent in several countries, with credits for companies that ...

  Source: Menafn.com

• Germany probes suspected potato price fixing - May 13, 2013

  (MENAFN - AFP) The chips are down as Germany launches a probe into suspected potato price fixing over the past decade which may have cost consumers and farmers hundreds of millions of euros, ...

  Source: Menafn.com

• Task of decommissioning Germany's nuclear plants is Herculean. - May 12, 2013

  The dismantling of Germany's nuclear power plants will be one of the greatest tasks of the century as the country moves to phase out atomic energy. It will take at least until 2080 to complete the job. But what happens if energy utility companies who own the facilities go bust before the work is done?

  Source: Environmental Health News

• More 100 Point Ratings for Germany - May 12, 2013

  According to Wine Advocate's online database of wine ratings, there have been 288 top ratings in total over the years across all German wine growing regions. We listet the latest five that reached a rating of 100 points.

  Source: Deutsche Weine

• Germany strikes Gold with "Discover the taste ..." - May 12, 2013

  Sports, culture, tourism, food and wine. Those were the topics at the 'Discover the taste of Germany' event that took place in London, July 31st 2012. I was hosted by the German National Tourist Board (DZT) and the German Wine Institute (DWI) who welcomed over 100 prominent guests.

  Source: Deutsche Weine

• Germany: REWE to offer payback from 2014 - May 11, 2013

  From 2014, REWE will reward its customers with Payback points for their purchases. The retail company has signed an agreement to this end with Germany’s biggest loyalty programme. “We are delighted that our customers in over 3,000 REWE stores will be able to benefit from this attractive programme starting.....

  Source: FreshPlaza

Business outline for Germany

Main Industry Sectors

The German agricultural sector contributes about 1% of the GDP and employs about 2,5% of the active population. The sector has greatly benefitted from State subsidies. Main agricultural products are milk, pork and livestock farming, sugar beet and cereals. Consumers prefer organic agriculture. The country is going through a process of deindustrialization of the food sector. 

The contribution of the industrial sector to the GDP has dropped from 51% in 1970 to about 29% today. However, the German economy still has some specialized sectors such as mechanical engineering, electric and electronic equipment, automotive and chemical products. The automotive industry is one of the country's largest industrial sectors, and is the world's 3rd exporter of cars. Nevertheless, the crisis has affected German industry, especially the automotive sector as well as equipment, with a decrease in orders and the implementation of partial unemployment plans.

The tertiary sector contributes about 70% to the GDP. The German economic model relies mainly on a dense network of SMEs; there are more than 3 million of them employing 70% of the salaried workers.

Economic Overview

Germany is Europe's primary economy. Over the last few years, its performance has not been dynamic due to the country's vulnerability to outside shocks, domestic structural problems and the permanent difficulties of integrating the formerly communist eastern part. Strongly hit by the international financial crisis, Germany went into recession in 2009 and then recovered growth in 2010 (3.3%) under the combined effects of the stimulus plan and the resumption of international trade and investment. Some believe that the pre-crisis level of activity will be reached as soon as at the end of 2011.

Thanks to the good economic situation, the government's priority is now to deal with the budget deficit, which soared during the crisis and to implement measures favoring investment and new technologies, in order to diversify the economy and no longer depend on exports.

Despite the gravity of the recession, Germany was able to contain its unemployment rates around 8%, thanks to the adopted measures. The integration of the former Eastern Germany, where the unemployment rate remains very high, nevertheless continues to pose problems.

FDI in Figures

Germany is an attractive country for direct foreign investment. However, due to the global financial crisis, the FDI flows dried up and should remain less dynamic even in the coming years.
The country's strengths are: a fabric of the industrial sector which is dense and powerful, a skilled workforce which has a good command of the English language, as well as a geographic location in the center of Europe. Germany's main weakness is its high taxation rate (of both individuals and corporations).

FDI Government Measures

The Germany government is implementing mesures aimed at encouraging investments in the country:

- Financing by the European Union and/or by German federal entities;
- Aid aimed especially at the initial investment phase but also at the operational phase of the project.

Country Strong Points

Germany's strong points are:
- A strategic location at the center of Europe;
- The biggest population of the European Union;
- Advanced technology and expertise;
- A highly qualified work force;
- Competitive taxation.

Country Weak Points

Public finances are stucturally highly in deficit. The eastern part of the country is struggling to catch up in many fields. The ageing population weighs heavily on growth. The unemployment rate poses a real challenge for the development of the country and its future influence.

Foreign Trade Overview

Trade represents more than 80% of Germany's GDP; with exports representing about 40% of GDP, Germany is a leader in exports (only recently caught up with by China).

The global recession which has lead to a decrease in exports reduced the positive trade balance of the country, however since the beginning of the recovery, trade balance shows comfortable surplus and this trend should continue in the coming years.

The whole of the European Union is its primary trade partner: around 60% of German exports and 60% of its imports are done with the EU. China and the U.S. are the other two main partners.