According to studies by the KfW Banking
for the economy and scientists alike to sup-
Group, overall there is a decline in the num-
port the implementation of Industry 4.0
ber of innovative companies – only 28 per-
and in so doing position Germany as a lead-
cent of SMEs invest in innovative products
ing provider of these technologies and as a
and processes; one reason given for this is
future manufacturing hub.
ongoing subdued economic forecasts. In
numerous niche market segments, German
SMEs are frequently hidden champions,
with leaders offering highly innovative
products in European and global markets.
The creative industry has become firmly
established in the fabric of the economy.
INFO
Frequently in small, under-capitalised companies it plays a pioneering role on the way
to a digital, knowledge-based economy, and
is regarded as a significant source of ideas
for innovative products. With more than
28,000 such firms registered, Berlin is considered to be an international seedbed for
creative industries and start-ups.
The economy is on the threshold of the
fourth industrial revolution. Driven by the
Internet, the real and virtual worlds are
growing together to create an Internet of
Corporate tax rates
Since the mid-1990s there has been
an international trend towards falling
corporate tax rates. Germany has
long since not been among the hightax countries. In comparison with
other countries, if anything, it even has
below-average tax and welfare contribution levels. The average overall
tax burden for companies is less than
30 percent. On account of the locally
variable trade tax rate, in some regions
in Germany it is below 23 percent.
→ gtai.de
Things. The Federal Government’s aim is
1990
2002
2014
The Treuhandanstalt, a government-owned but independent
trust agency, begins transforming
the socialist planned economy of
the former East Germany with its
several thousand state-owned enterprises into a market economy.
From 1948 until 1998 the
Deutsche Mark is the official
currency as “book money”, until 2001 as cash. It is replaced
on 1 January 2002: Germany and
11 other EU Member States
introduce the euro.
The German share index DAX
passes the 10,000-point mark for
the first time. It reflects the
performance of the 30 biggest
German companies with the
highest sales.