Germany: a world-leading hub for technology
Innovation and new technologies are of vital importance for maintaining Germany's international competitiveness as an economic performer. An innovation-friendly policy environment, cutting-edge technologies, and broad-based innovation in German industry are essential for achieving growth, job creation and prosperity over the long term.
The present economic situation in particular offers important opportunities for investing in new technology - such as technology to fight climate change and to protect the environment - that will help German companies remain global technological leaders in the future. Only those companies that consistently invest in research, innovation and skilled workers will be able to weather today's difficult economic climate.
Germany has a long tradition of being a leader in innovation. But Germany also faces global competition as it strives to reinforce its position as a world-class hub for technology. And this competition is only getting tougher: many countries - especially fast-growing Asian economies such as China, South Korea and India - are catching up in their development and application of sophisticated technology.
Nevertheless, Germany is well-equipped to face the challenge: in 2009, research and development accounted for a 2.8% share of German GDP. This is one of the highest R&D rates in the world, surpassing the United States for the first time since 1989.
Over 31,000 companies in Germany engage in ongoing R&D activities, and this provides a strong basis for a positive climate of innovation.
In these activities, companies can draw on the expertise of numerous internationally renowned research institutes (such as the Max Planck Society, the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft, the Helmholtz Association of German Research Centres, the Leibniz Association, and research facilities associated with government ministries) and universities.
International comparisons highlight Germany's innovative prowess: Germany placed 4th in the European Commission's Innovation Union Scoreboard 2010 (behind only Sweden, Denmark and Finland) and thus ranks among the EU's top nations when it comes to innovation.
If we want to maintain this strong position, Germany will have to reinforce and expand its strengths as a hub for technology. To this end, we must increase and intensify research and development in Germany. In addition, the government must provide better protection of proprietary rights attached to German technological products as well as better support for exports of these products.
Exports of technology-related products already have access to a wide variety of government instruments to support foreign trade and investment, such as Hermes export credit guarantees and investment guarantees.
Germany Trade & Invest - the foreign trade and inward investment agency for the Federal Republic of Germany - plays a key role in these efforts by conducting international marketing activities to promote Germany as a place to do business and research and by providing German companies with comprehensive information on international markets and business opportunities.
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