Economic & Social Policy - vdma.org

Traditionally at the beginning of the year, the VDMA revises and updates its economic policy positions.

Federal Minister of Economics Habeck will travel to India from July 19-22, 2023 accompanied by a business delegation.

The event offered participants the opportunity to learn about and exchange information on current developments in tax law.

With his proposals on recording working time, Federal Labor Minister Heil is shooting far beyond the requirements of the European Court of Justice The Union's move is therefore the right one: trust-based working time must be preserved in any case.

Stopping the planned Euro 7 emissions standard would be remarkable and right. The standard would only bring barely perceptible environmental improvements, and at high cost. Instead, European industry must now concentrate all its efforts on achieving the CO2 targets.

From now on, small and medium-sized enterprises, among others, can also apply for a subsidy in the state program "Hardship Assistance SME Energy" for non-conducted energy sources.

Due to environmental and potential health hazards, the EU intends to restrict the broad group of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) under the REACH regulation.

The EU's planned ban on the entire PFAS group of substances would endanger many industrial processes - especially the technologies of the energy transition. Many entrepreneurs from the mechanical and plant engineering sector are calling for the ban to be stopped and for a differentiated view of the substances.

In India, the business situation continues to be assessed as good, in Brazil it has deteriorated somewhat from a high level, and in China the situation is worse than in the fall of 2022 despite the discontinuation of the Corona measures, according to the latest VDMA business climate survey in these foreign markets.

"Coach2Change" offers individual, workplace-based transformation coaching for employees in small and medium-sized enterprises. It is funded by the state of NRW and the EU.

The initiatives of the EU Commission are not enough to sustainably strengthen Europe as an industrial location. What is needed now is a strong impetus from the EU Competitiveness Council for greater and sustainable industrial competitiveness.

VDMA is campaigning for less bureaucracy in work assignments in Europe. An overview of the facts and figures shows that there is still a long way to go before the Internal Market runs smoothly.

In order to provide companies in NRW with even more targeted support for digitization and resource efficiency, the Ministry of Economics has adapted and expanded the Mittelstand Innovativ & Digital funding program.

The EU Commission has launched the CO2 border adjustment system with Regulation EU 956/2023.

Russian government creates legal basis for foreign management of Western companies and lays foundation for expropriations.

Attention Europe enthusiasts! With our new web seminar series "EU Bubble talks - 30 minutes insights from Brussels" we take a look behind the scenes of European politics and take you with us.

U.S. Department of Treasury clarifies important interpretational boundaries of the IRA local content bonus.

The EU and India are conducting negotiations on a Free Trade Agreement. The first meeting of the EU-India Trade and Technology Council, which should give these negotiations further impetus, is now taking place.

Per- and polyfluorinated alkyl compounds (PFAS) are currently polarizing opinion. The EU has come out in favor of a blanket ban on around 10,000 chemicals in this group of substances. At first glance, a well-intentioned approach to protecting the environment, but the announcement puts important industries at risk.

The VDMA participated in a public consultation of the European Commission on the first product groups under the new Ecodesign Regulation for Sustainable Products (ESPR) on 11 May 2023.

Companies in the mechanical and plant engineering sector increased their spending on research and development again in 2021. However, the pre-Corona level has not yet been reached - an expansion of the tax research allowance is needed.

Rejection of false desires is called for: The high tax revenues of the public coffers must not be channeled into higher social spending; instead, more tax funds are needed for better investment conditions in Germany.

On April 18, 2023, the German cabinet presented a draft law to increase energy efficiency and amend the Energy Services Act. An overview of the current status.

Clear need for action on transport routes and approval procedures. Only if the transport infrastructure is right can goods reach the customer and the place of use. This also applies in particular to large and heavy technologies for implementing the energy transition.

Everyone is talking about AI, but at the same time numerous questions regarding the legal framework remain unanswered. The current debate in the EU Parliament on AI legislation is therefore important, but it must not lead to an overall AI blockade.

The mechanical and plant engineering industry in Schleswig-Holstein demands a clear commitment to Schleswig-Holstein as an industrial location from politicians and expects support in reducing bureaucracy and setting sensible framework conditions.

The Hannover Messe, as the world's largest industrial fair, is a popular meeting place for the exchange between business and politics.

The EU and U.S. should finally bury the hatchet on this half-decade-long trade dispute that has triggered uncertainty and increased costs for manufacturers in both markets.

As part of the Green Deal Industrial Plan, the EU Commission has published the Net-Zero Industry Act to boost green manufacturing in Europe. Which technologies will be favoured? And where will the funding come from?

Manufacturers of large and heavy goods are increasingly faced with increasing requirements to obtain special permits to use certain routes.

The EU-Commission published on 27 April 2023 new proposals for standard essential patents, compulsory licensing and supplementary protection certificates. What are the main elements?

A drastic across-the-board subsidy of the electricity price for energy-intensive companies is a mistake. This is because watering-can subsidies are a burden on federal finances and thus on the economy, including mechanical and plant engineering, as well as on citizens.

Skilled workers for industry are a key issue in Germany and worldwide. In Africa, the VDMA has been involved in vocational education & training since 2016, together with local players. In the sense of local value creation and qualified skilled workers for international operations.

VDMA and its members support the transition to a functioning circular economy. The textile machinery industry is an indispensable partner in this transition. The following list provides an overview of the products and services of VDMA members that make this possible.

The mechanical and plant engineering sector is particularly challenged by the transformation: It must not only provide the technological solutions, but also invest in new components and plants itself so that Germany can master the energy transition and digitalization. The intention of the Federal Ministry of Finance to focus on investment-friendly framework conditions is correct in approach. The announcement must be followed by concrete reform steps in tax law.

We are pleased to announce our new cooperation with GREENTECH FESTIVAL - Europe's largest green business event.

The visits of members of the European Parliament and the Bundestag, organized by the VDMA, offer companies the opportunity to describe the effects of political initiatives in a practical way.

The planned Skilled Workers Immigration Act is too bureaucratic to attract a sufficient number of skilled workers from third countries to the country. This is because it ignores the question of how skilled workers willing to immigrate can be brought together with domestic SMEs.

Politics, business, breakfast: VDMA Bavaria in dialogue with the Free Voters in the Bavarian Parliament

How can we succeed in improving the eco-balance of the flat glass industry? The industry working group at the Glass Technology Forum presented possible solutions.

The proposal for the European supply chain law overtaxes medium-sized companies in particular, which have strong international networks. The law must be limited to what companies can really control: their own business, subsidiaries and direct suppliers.

VDMA Ost regularly exchanges ideas with politicians: at appointments in ministries or at member companies. Recently, members of the Green Party informed themselves about the consequences of EU legislation.

The EU-Commission adopted on 29 March 2023 a proposal for a Directive to extend the use of digital tools and processes in company law. What are the main elements?

The proposals on electronic recording of working time unduly restrict employee self-determination. This is an affront to employers and employees alike, who have been using this tool for decades.

From Clean-Tech to free trade agreements and subsidies, European industrial policy was the focus of the EU policy reception with Deputy Director General Maive Rute of the EU Commission.

The German Federal Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs (BMAS) submitted a draft bill on the legal regulation of working time recording for departmental approval on 18 April 2023.

Europe knows many success stories, but none is as important for the economy and society as the EU Single Market. Reforms are nevertheless urgently needed - otherwise there is a risk of overregulation. 

The EU Commission published a proposal for a product liability directive on September 28, 2022. What are the main concerns from the perspective of the mechanical engineering industry?

VDMA organised in March 2023 meetings with the EU-Commission to advocate a EU-US Mutual Recognition Agreement on Conformity Assessment in our sector.

On March 30, the EU Commission presented a proposal for EU type approval for road safety-related requirements for self-propelled machinery.