Joint Letter to Government: Business Urges Implementation of Reforms
Major German corporations such as Audi and Siemens, along with employers in the metal and electrical industries, are calling on the government to implement reforms "without delay." They also criticize the high contribution burden in the social insurance system.
Business associations and major corporations including BMW and Siemens have written a joint letter urging the federal government to carry out swift reforms. Announced reform plans or those enshrined in the coalition agreement must be implemented "without delay and without any compromises whatsoever," according to the letter from associations and companies in Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg, as quoted by Mediengruppe Bayern.
The letter goes on to state that companies in Germany are under considerable pressure due to high energy costs and changing economic conditions. "Particularly in this situation, the specific design of social and economic policy frameworks will determine whether companies can remain competitive, maintain jobs and make investments at our locations."
Automotive industry as well as metal and electrical employers
Among the signatories are the corporations Audi, BMW, ZF, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, Siemens and Eberspächer, according to the information provided. The heads of the Bavarian metal and electrical employers' associations and their Baden-Württemberg counterpart Südwestmetall have also joined the letter.
The recipients of the letter include Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU), Labor Minister Bärbel Bas (SPD), Economy Minister Katherina Reiche (CDU), as well as the parliamentary group leaders of the governing parties.
The letter also calls for a sustainable reduction in the contribution burden in the social insurance system, which currently stands at an all-time high of over 42 percent. The signatories criticize it as "unacceptable that the contribution burden for parts of the economy and insured individuals is rising despite stable contribution rates, because the contribution assessment ceilings are being raised."
