Gathering at Merz - 'Made in Germany' Campaign Initiative - Gathering at Merz - Business undertaking 'Crafted in Germany'
In a significant move aimed at bolstering Germany's economic growth and position as a global powerhouse, a coalition of 61 leading German companies and investors, including Deutsche Bank CEO Christian Sewing, Siemens CEO Roland Busch, Mathias Döpfner of Axel Springer, and Alexander Geiser of FGS Global, have united under the banner of the **"Made for Germany"** corporate initiative.
Over the next three years, up to 2028, these companies have pledged to invest an impressive €631 billion (approximately US$733 billion) in Germany. This investment drive is part of a broader effort to navigate geopolitical and economic challenges, promoting a forward-thinking economic policy.
The initiative covers a wide range of industries, including automotive (with BMW and Volkswagen investing heavily in electric vehicles and battery production), digital transformation (with firms such as Siemens and SAP), infrastructure, sustainability, research, and skilled labour development.
Investments will be directed towards research and development, production capacity expansion, digital infrastructure, sustainability efforts such as decarbonization, and the upskilling of personnel.
This private sector commitment aligns with Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s government program, which seeks to revitalise Germany’s economy after two years of shrinkage and expected stagnation. The government has pledged complementary reforms, including a €500 billion infrastructure fund over 12 years and measures designed to cut red tape and speed up digitization.
The success of this investment drive hinges on directing funds towards productive investments like digital infrastructure and decarbonization to maximise GDP growth. Experts warn that ineffective spending could limit the growth potential, with projections showing GDP growth by 2035 ranging from 1.25% to 2.5%, depending on investment efficiency.
The initiative also aims to establish a strengthened dialogue between business and government, effectively implementing necessary structural reforms, including streamlining bureaucracy and reducing costly regulatory compliance, which costs German firms an estimated €65 billion annually.
The companies involved are committed to working closely with political decision-makers to help shape and implement these reforms, complementing the role of business associations. Priority challenges identified include digitization, innovation, infrastructure, sustainability, and addressing skilled labour shortages through targeted policy measures.
The "Made for Germany" initiative signals renewed confidence in Germany as a global industrial and technological hub. The meeting at the Chancellery in Berlin, attended by Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil (SPD) and Economics Minister Katherina Reiche (CDU), was followed by press statements, with the Bundestag and Bundesrat having already decided on the special fund.
By Monday morning, 61 companies and investors had joined the initiative, with a significant portion of the total sum representing new investments. The meeting involved around 30 companies, including more than a dozen DAX corporations.
Federal Chancellor Friedrich Merz welcomed the confidence of companies in investing in the German location and its jobs, emphasising that only part of the necessary investments can be made by the state, with a large part needing to be made by private individuals.
In conclusion, the "Made for Germany" initiative represents a landmark private sector commitment aimed at stimulating Germany’s economic growth through massive investment and cooperative reform efforts, signalling renewed confidence in Germany as a global industrial and technological hub.
- The "Made for Germany" initiative, supported by finance from various leading German companies and investors, aims to invest €631 billion over the next three years, as part of a forward-thinking economic policy that includes vocational training to address skilled labor shortages.
- In addition to investments in digital infrastructure, research, and sustainability efforts, the "Made for Germany" initiative seeks to streamline bureaucracy and reduce costly regulatory compliance, which could save German firms an estimated €65 billion annually, thus promoting business and politics.
- This private sector commitment, aligned with Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s government program, complements the role of business associations and general-news outlets, such as Axel Springer, in shaping and implementing necessary structural reforms, with the goal of bolstering Germany's economic position in the global market.
