BUSINESS PLAN FOR THE EU
Europe needs another industry
Real economy - that was for many years as backward. Services should include the future. At the latest by the crisis has become clear: The EU Member States urgently need to re-industrialization.
Martin C. Wittig, CEO of Roland Berger Strategy Consultants.
Before the financial and economic crisis, Britain was regarded as a model for a more viable economic structure. Quality services, the future seemed to belong, with a powerful financial sector as a "driver". Germany was a backward orientation on the real economy: the country had, it was said, urgently rethink its business model.
Today, an economy that relies mainly on services, as vulnerable - and Germany as an example of a sustainable business model, with 24 percent share of industry in the overall economy compared to 16 percent in the U.S. and UK or 12 percent in France.
The special session to help Spain demanded a lot from the members. Ulrich Kelber (SPD) was already on by 3 clock, made from Carinthia on his way to Berlin - and recorded throughout the day via Twitter.
One extreme might be as wrong as the other. But all economies currently wondering how they can strengthen their industrial base. U.S. President Barack Obama has spent the goal of doubling exports by 2015 - which can hardly function without a strong industry, because few services are globally traded. And who knows the "Rust Belt" of the U.S. or once took the train from New York to Washington, can appreciate the magnitude of this task. Even booming economies in Asia seek sustainable design their secondary sector crisis-proof, for the departure of the first founding generation in China, for example.
PAIN AT THE BORDER
Massive criticism of aid package for Spain
A few hours before the vote on support for Spain's banks to dispute flares up.
What can be said about the example of Germany? The excellent infrastructure and central location in Europe justify his success story. Both are increasingly important as increasing the costs and risks of global value chains.
Controversial was the moderate increase in hourly wages from 2000 to 2010 by 19.4 percent. In Italy, it was 35.3 percent, 39 percent in France and in Spain 47.2 percent. And unit labor costs from 2000 to 2010, Germany submitted by only 3.9 percent - as compared to Italy with an increase of 32.5 percent.
The Business Plan for Europe
Another advantage is Germany's dual education system with clearly defined professional qualifications. A local hiring manager knows what is around a machinist. The German system is even exported already: Sun has about Obama Siemens' mechatronics course in North Carolina publicly praised as a model.
The "German Mittelstand" succeed more than 1,000 medium-sized and family businesses as "Hidden Champions", often in niche markets. Frequently world export leader in their field, they sometimes more than 80 percent of their production, phenomenal growth.
GERHARD SCHROEDER
"Europe needs a bold reform"
Former Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder calls for the development of a European government.
The close cooperation of all stakeholders, supported by the regional approach to promoting industry by the states, binds to customers and suppliers with one, research institutions and community projects, even with the competition. Such "clusters" facilitate the exchange of information and the continuous improvement of products and processes. All this promotes confidence - these "soft" factor is important because it facilitates investment in innovation. And residing in Germany with 69.5 billion euros per year is significantly higher than in other European countries.
Unfortunately, we risk our excellent position with domestic problems such as energy policy, aging infrastructure and the social bias of our education system, the economic resources destroyed. Here we must take countermeasures urgently!
EU Commissioner Günther Oettinger has recently called for at this point that Europe should achieve by 2020 an EU average of 20 percent of manufacturing value added share of gross domestic product. Now, not every European country simply copy the German way, the conditions are too different. An "arms race, industrialization" would also be detrimental to Europe's overall competitiveness.
What we need instead is a "business plan" for each country, based on the respective strengths and developed a rational industrial policy. The EU Commission is to the task of synchronizing the policies of individual countries and to prevent such a destructive race through subsidy checks. So we could re-industrialise Europe with a coordinated strategy and strengthen its position in world markets.
Social networks switch permanently
Industry is the basis for valuable jobs and prosperity in Europe. So you have globalization, which has done Europe a massive turn back a bit, if necessary even with subsidies or protectionism in order to maintain our prosperity and already again rebuild. Very important!
Valuable eco-industry with cutting-edge research and technology as the guarantor of the "know-how-nucleus Europe" for the world as a pioneer. Industry associated with the universities in Germany, Aachen, Munich, Leibnitz University, Max Planck and Fraunhofer Network. All these must be preserved, no matter what crisis is just around Cland Deut.
Healthy selfishness is too good to face Germany. Not this knee-sliding solidarity, where we can make use of other means of self-service store "ESM". Otherwise, the downward journey is still continuing towards low-wage and Hartz4. More and more towards developing country such as Greece now.
