Berlin (dpa) - The German Chamber of Industry and Commerce has warned of an increasing relocation of production from Germany to other countries. "Germany is becoming less attractive as a business location," DIHK President Peter Adrian told the German Press Agency. "Many framework conditions are fundamentally better in the USA or Asian countries, for example. This applies to energy supply, taxes and duties and entrepreneurial freedom, for example." Germany and the EU need to respond to this.

"If our energy and labor costs are already higher, we need to be better, especially when it comes to bureaucracy and all other factors that can be influenced," said Adrian. "The challenge is also great on our own continent: Germany must not become the sick man of Europe again."

The term "Sick Man of Europe", which the British magazine 'Economist' used to describe Germany at the turn of the millennium, has been making the rounds again in recent months.

Adrian sees location at risk in the long term

"The course for the coming decades is being set right now," says Adrian. "Only with a strong economy will it be possible to tackle the current challenges. We need to become faster, more agile, less bureaucratic and, above all, more digital if we want to keep up." This transformation must be supported by politicians. "Otherwise, the location will be at risk in the long term."

Adrian said that he would like to see clear, reliable and problem-oriented political action. The relocation is not just about companies closing here and opening elsewhere. "Much more relevant is the development that expansions or new ideas in internationally established industrial networks are increasingly being realized in other countries than here. However, we can reverse this trend if we improve significantly."

In a DIHK survey of more than 2,200 companies over the course of the year, they gave economic policy a score of 4.8 (on a school grading scale of 1 to 6) - the worst score ever in the survey, which is conducted every three years. Above all, companies complained about too much bureaucracy, high energy costs and excessively long approval procedures. The 'Welt am Sonntag' had initially reported on this.

Don't put your head through the wall when it comes to climate protection

In the dpa interview, Adrian also warned against Germany going it alone when it comes to climate protection. "Many entrepreneurs are thinking about how they can restructure their own business and how they can use resources more efficiently. But we have to be careful that we don't end up in a dead end. Because the world is not waiting for us to dictate our standards. Our concrete steps must be compatible with our important neighboring countries, with the important global economic areas. We cannot put our heads through the wall - whatever the cost. That won't work and it will lead to serious competitive disadvantages for German companies. That is why we must approach the transformation process wisely and with a sense of proportion."