Annual Report of the Federal Government on the Status of German Unity 2018 Imprint
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Annual Report of the Federal Government on the Status of German Unity 2018 Imprint Publisher Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy Public Relations Division 11019 Berlin www.bmwi.de Status August 2018 Print MKL Druck GmbH & Co. KG, 48346 Ostbevern Design and production PRpetuum GmbH, 80801 Munich Illustrations gettyimages Jorg Greuel / title This brochure is published as part of the public relations work of the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy. It is distributed free of charge and is not intended for sale. The distribution of this brochure at campaign events or at information stands run by political parties is prohibited, and political party-related information or advertising shall not be inserted in, printed on, or affixed to this publication. 1 Annual Report of the Federal Government on the Status of German Unity 2018 2 Contents Part A .......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... .8 1. Looking ahead: confidently building on strengths ................................................................................................................................................ 9 2. Persistent structural weaknesses ........................................................................................................................................................................................10 3. Designing the future in the east: breaking down structural weaknesses, promoting SMEs, strengthening municipalities..................................................................................................................................................................................................11 4. Future of funding for structurally weak regions .....................................................................................................................................................12 5. After the transformation – self-confidence, promoting dialogue ..............................................................................................................13 Part B: Report ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... .15 I. Improving economic strength, completing social unity................................................................................................................................ .16 1. Economic development in eastern Germany.................................................................................................................................................16 2. Promoting investment, start-ups, innovation and internationalisation...................................................................................20 2.1. Promoting investment...........................................................................................................................................................................................20 2.2. Business start-ups......................................................................................................................................................................................................22 2.3. Promoting innovation and research ...........................................................................................................................................................23 2.4. Internationalisation . .28 2.5. Business clusters.........................................................................................................................................................................................................28 2.6. Digital transformation ...........................................................................................................................................................................................29 3. Labour market and securing skilled workers .................................................................................................................................................30 3.1. Situation on the labour and training market in eastern Germany, employment development .................30 3.2. Measures to integrate people into the labour market and to secure skilled labour...............................................35 4. Companies covered by collective bargaining, wage trends, pension provisions.................................................................44 4.1. Collective bargaining coverage .......................................................................................................................................................................44 4.2. Gender-related earnings gap ...........................................................................................................................................................................44 4.3. Minimum wage ..........................................................................................................................................................................................................46 4.4. Income situation of private households .................................................................................................................................................48 4.5. Pensions and pension alignment .................................................................................................................................................................49 II. Performance of the eastern German federal states and municipalities, quality of life in urban and rural areas.............................................................................................................................................................................................................. .51 1. Performance of the federal states and municipalities ............................................................................................................................51 1.1. Financial situation of the eastern federal states and municipalities..................................................................................51 2. Infrastructure: energy, communications, transport..................................................................................................................................52 2.1. Energy infrastructure .............................................................................................................................................................................................53 2.2. Digital infrastructure . 53 2.3. Transport infrastructure.......................................................................................................................................................................................55 3. Demography and equal qualities of life ..............................................................................................................................................................56 3.1. Demographic framework conditions .........................................................................................................................................................56 3.2. Family, living arrangements and children..............................................................................................................................................59 3.3. Urban development and urban development assistance............................................................................................................61 3.4. Housing market and rented accommodation market...................................................................................................................63 CONTENTS 3 3.5. Rural development ...................................................................................................................................................................................................65 3.6. Agriculture and privatisation of agricultural land ...........................................................................................................................68 3.7. Remediation of lignite sites ...............................................................................................................................................................................69 3.8. Tourism..............................................................................................................................................................................................................................69 3.9. Health and long-term care .................................................................................................................................................................................70 3.10. The promotion of sports ....................................................................................................................................................................................73 3.11. The promotion of culture..................................................................................................................................................................................74 III. The continued process of facing up to the past, and fostering a strong