- DIHK: Companies increasingly consider moving abroad
High energy prices are increasingly threatening negative consequences for the German industrial location. The trend towards relocation, particularly among industrial companies, is solidifying, according to a survey by the German Chamber of Industry and Commerce (DIHK).
Currently, four out of ten industrial companies are considering restricting their production in Germany or relocating abroad due to energy issues. Among larger industrial companies with more than 500 employees, more than half are now considering this. Around 3,300 companies participated in the survey, according to the DIHK.
Companies complain about lack of perspective
The politics have not yet succeeded in providing companies with a perspective for reliable and affordable energy supply, said Achim Dercks, deputy CEO of DIHK. "While many companies saw opportunities in the energy transition for their own business in the years before 2023, the risks clearly outweigh the benefits lately." High energy prices are increasingly becoming a production and investment barrier.
The increasing plans for production cuts and relocations, and the actual relocations, show that the energy political location conditions are now a clear competitive disadvantage for all companies in Germany, according to the DIHK. This applies particularly to the industry, industrial companies with high electricity costs, and large companies, for example in mechanical engineering and the production of industrial goods.
Call for state aid
The DIHK called for taxes and levies on electricity to be reduced. Umlages should be financed from the federal budget. The permanent reduction of the electricity tax for industrial enterprises, as provided for in the growth package, should be extended to all sectors.
The high energy prices are causing significant financial burdens for many industrial companies in Germany, making it harder for them to sustain their production. Due to these energy issues, an alarming number of industrial firms are considering reducing their production in Germany or relocating abroad, as indicated by the survey conducted by the DIHK.
