Icon: enlarge
Car production: more reliable planning basis required
Photo: Jan Woitas / DPA
German industry believes that the economy will again experience noticeable growth in the current year.
The economy is likely to grow by 3.5 percent, forecast the Federation of German Industries (BDI).
"There is great uncertainty about the further development of the corona pandemic, the economic situation remains difficult," explained the new BDI boss Siegfried Russwurm.
A return to the pre-crisis level is therefore not yet in sight this year.
"But there should be a good chance that it will succeed in the first half of 2022."
This means that the industry is as pessimistic as most economic research institutes.
The German Institute for Economic Research (DIW) recently lowered its forecast for growth in gross domestic product (GDP) this year from 5.2 to just 3.5 percent.
But there are also more optimistic voices: The union-affiliated Hans Böckler Foundation, for example, considers growth "noticeably over four percent" to be possible.
Last year the economy slumped by around five percent due to the virus crisis.
The Federal Statistical Office will announce the exact number on Thursday.
"We are assuming an increase of six percent for exports," Russwurm predicted for 2021, after a drop of an estimated eleven percent last year.
The industry is important for the economy and prosperity.
"It is all the more important to keep the industry running - despite the aggravated situation, despite extensive mobility restrictions and large-scale school closings."
The BDI president and long-time Siemens manager demanded more predictability and a more reliable planning basis from the corona policy in the federal and state levels.
"The expectation is rightly high that politics will deliver differentiated and more creative solutions by February at the latest instead of further blanket closures," demanded Russwurm.
"Explicit proposals for easing wherever possible and justifiable" are important.
In addition, Russwurm reiterated common demands of the business lobby: "It takes less burdens, less bureaucracy, less taxes - and better infrastructure, more incentives for innovation and investment."
The BDI boss was hopeful about the election of Joe Biden as US President.
This will "ease the way for multilateral solutions and joint initiatives for fair competition on world markets."
Icon: The mirror
hej / Reuters
