WDK dismayed by policies of German parties ahead of elections

Frankfurt, Germany – The German rubber industry association (WDK) has expressed disappointment with the economic policies proposed by political parties ahead of the federal election, scheduled for 28 Sept.

“The proposals are far too little and far too late," said WDK president Michael Klein, warning of a failure to recognise the severity of the situation and that "Germany as an industrial location is at acute risk.”

In a statement issued 29 Jan, Klein also criticised the lack of attention given to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), even by parties that claim strong economic expertise.

“You need a magnifying glass to find the few mentions of SMEs in some of these manifestos,” according to the rubber industry leader.

“There seems to be no recognition that Germany has an industrial SME sector that urgently needs relief,” he added.

Addressing the campaigning parties, Klein renewed his call for a reduction in excessive bureaucracy, which he said was hindering business competitiveness.

German and EU authorities should adopt a ‘one in, two out’ policy with regarding to disposing of reporting bureaucracy, he advised.

Furthermore, Klein said the industry needs competitive electricity prices, urging policymakers to introduce long-term caps on energy costs in the form of a fixed industrial electricity price.