BDI Foreign Economic Report

Arabische Halbinsel ©BDI/fotolia (Trithoot)

The BDI expects exports to grow by more than 10 percent in the current year. During the first half of 2010, exports even grew by 17 percent.

The BDI expects exports to grow by more than 10 percent in the current year – during the first half of 2010, exports even grew by 17 percent. This is the result of a recent survey of the BDI among its member associations. »This clearly shows: The export sector is pulling Germany out of the crisis. The development of exports in recent months highlights the competitiveness of German products on the global markets and proves critics wrong«, said BDI Director General Werner Schnappauf when presenting the latest BDI Foreign Economic Report. In the first half of 2010, exports increased by 17.4 percent compared to the previous year's period. Schnappauf warned against a false sense of security. The total volume of German exports in the second quarter was € 239 billion, still around five percent below pre–crisis levels. In the third quarter of 2008, the total volume of German exports was € 250 billion. The positive development of exports is expected to continue throughout the second half of 2010, albeit with reduced momentum. »We anticipate lower export growth in 2011 and must prepare accordingly«, says Schnappauf. Lately, the pace of recovery has slowed down in industrialised countries as well as in newly industrialising countries.

The BDI Director General welcomed the free trade agreements between the European Union and the Republic of Korea, Europe's eighth largest trading partner. »The treaty improves market opportunities for many German industrial companies. The key issue is that the agreement provides for protection against market distortions. New barriers to market entry must not be established in Korea before the agreement comes into force.«

According to the BDI Foreign Economic Report, the post-crisis development of foreign direct investments shows how highly foreign investors regard Germany as a business location. Investments by foreigners in Germany in 2009 increased 45 percent – against the global trend, which fell by 37 percent. According to the report, the Middle East has become a very interesting region for German foreign trade, particularly during the crisis. The report anticipates many future opportunities for small and medium–sized companies, for example in the area of transport and energy infrastructure.