at the Latest, when Angela Merkel got involved in the debate on European industrial policy, it was clear that Europe could face a political-economic paradigm change. The traditional role of the state, and the only guard rails, but from the economy to keep out, not working so said the Chancellor in last week at a meeting of the Asia-Pacific Committee in Berlin. “We don’t get to anymore with what we have produced before ten, twenty years, easy.”
Also, Emmanuel Macron underscored this finding in his in 28 European Newspapers published guest post. “We need to reform our competition policy, our trade policy to re-align,” writes the French President. He proposes a preferred treatment of European companies, as the United States and China also did, and pleads for it to punish companies that “our strategic interests and our fundamental values are undermined”.
What would have been considered over the decades as a Misdemeanor of the market economy, is driven with high pressure from the Federal government, at the highest point: the influencing of the economy through the policy.
Federal government makes Brussels pressure
daily mirror tomorrow location
for Free order
Federal Minister Peter Altmaier (CDU) had taken this course in the beginning of the month, as he presented the “National industry strategy to 2030”. It provides that the state intervenes to a much greater extent in the promotion of individual sectors and companies, in order to ensure international competitiveness.
A Central point is the creation of large European groups. Just so, says the Minister of the economy, could be in Europe, businesses to thrive, which can compete with the competition from China and the United States.
The merger of the Zugsparten of Siemens and Alstom would have to be such a “European Champion”. But it is precisely this Fusion, the EU says Commission a few weeks ago for antitrust reasons. To prevent this from happening again, the Federal government is since pressure.
In response to the Veto from Brussels had announced Altmaier, in a guest article in the daily mirror to develop up to the EU election in may, a proposal to Amend European competition law. At the end of last week, he met with EU competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager. In the connection it was said that there was “plenty of room for amicable solutions,” a loosening of the rules of competition in favour of Large-scale mergers reject Vestager. At almost the same time formulated Merkel at a Amtsessen with the President of France, Emmanuel Macron, your consent to Altmaiers plans.
Up to the EU summit on 20. and 21. March, in Brussels, Germany and France want to develop a joint roadmap in the matter. On Tuesday Altmaier, came together in his Ministry to the disability road with top economists of the country, to discuss the pros and Cons of its industrial strategy. Because of economic scientists, the Minister had received part of a violent wind for his plans. Four of the five ways referred to Altmaiers plans even as “of great concern”.
Altmaiers against player: Margrethe Vestager, EU competition Commissioner, did not want a Reform of the competition law.Photo: dpa
if Germany has with France, a strong Partner at his side, and always stressed that the interests of the Euro area as a whole hinge on this new economic policy, completely open the question of whether the Federal government for your plans, a majority in the EU. “It is only a small step from the industrial policy and protectionism”, cited the “Handelsblatt” an EU diplomat from the North of Europe.
in Addition, 17 heads of government emphasized in a by Finland-initiated Writing, a holistic policy approach is needed, which will take account of the completion of the European internal market. That economically weaker countries in the EU, there are doubts a division of accept by large corporations from Germany and France, without resistance, can also. The unilateral arms export policy of Berlin towards Saudi Arabia is considered to be an obstacle in Europe, jointly developed weapons.
As ordered, it is the willingness to cooperation among neighboring States, showed only a few days ago France and the Netherlands. The government in The Hague has increased its share in the joint airline Air France-KLM to 14 percent – as much as France. The French economic and Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire, actually, a declared friend of transnational corporations, responded in a Huff and called the step “incomprehensible”.
Germany made often against more regulation
in Europe through stronger state intervention and the consolidation of large corporations will be discussed, is not new. So far, however, have to keep always the advocates of a liberal policy to have the upper hand, often led by Germany. So Italian and French politicians have already expressed in 1967 in the so-called Colonna Memorandum, the concern that national companies “were in danger to stay below the minimum limits for size and financial strength”, which it need to survive on the world market.
But it was a restrained role of the policy in 1992 in the Maastricht Treaty with the words, “necessary conditions for the competitiveness of the industry”. If it is to be observed in the result of government intervention, was the most in the national interest, even at the expense of EU partners. The Hans-Böckler-Foundation came in an analysis of 2015 to the conclusion, that there had also been in Germany has always been a single political intervention; the awareness of the need for a strategic orientation of industrial policy have developed but only after the financial crisis of 2008.
BMW and Daimler will go away Altmaiers
Now, therefore, the radical course correction. But which industries could look forward to Altmaiers plans soon on state support? In addition to individual ‘Champions’ like Siemens, ThyssenKrupp and Deutsche Bank – the Altmaier in its National industrial strategy, called all by name – should be focused mainly on the technologies of the future. According to the concept of mobility, health, economy, digital, Cloud-Learning are in the areas of all the opportunities for European Player open, here should be set to be a focus.
the Case for the value chain of major elements such as the battery cell production Altmaier in mind “a national promotion to support the formation of consortia”. And in areas where Europe lags behind, according to the estimates of the Minister of economy very far behind, is a direct state involvement “necessary and justified”. For this purpose, he counts To the formation of a platform of economy, Artificial intelligence, and Autonomous.
More about
Altmaiers industrial strategy, “Who slept through technologies, to the bench of the other”
Oliver Voß Marie Zahout
it is In these areas, it was only last week movement. The two German Champions, Daimler and BMW agreed that the topics of car sharing and Autonomous Driving, to work, to be able to take it with US competitors like Uber, Google, or Apple. This is a cooperation in altmaier’s senses.
