The definition and development of unified standards is important not only for the future of specific sectors of industry in our country – such as mechanical engineering and automation technology – but also for dealing with transversal issues such as Industrie 4.0 and thus for the entire economy. The German economy is tackling head-on the challenges of digitalisation linked to Industrie 4.0. It wants to make sure that there is fair and free competition and that we can protect our economy from dependence on outside technology.