Especially for Journalists! Find more about the German economy at Economy in Germany www.mediaservice.land-of-ideas.org Facts, Figures and Contacts for Journalists www.invest-in-germany.com Invest in Germany Anna-Louisa-Karsch-Strasse 2 D-10178 Berlin Germany Phone +49 (0) 30 206 570 Fax +49 (0) 30 206 571 11 E-Mail [email protected] Brandenburg Gate/Reichstag Berlin Gate/Reichstag Brandenburg Content Introduction 3 Introduction 44 05 International Economy in Germany Germany counts among the three largest economies in the world, 45 Bilateral Trade Associations along with the United States and Japan. For that reason alone, 4 01 Politics in Germany business developments in the Federal Republic are likely to be of 5 Facts 52 06 Economic Research Institutes in Germany interest to journalists on all five continents. To assist you in your 6 Federal Government research on Germany’s economic life, we have developed this 9 Parties in Parliament 56 07 Research and Technology in Germany brochure. It is designed to provide you with an overview of the 57 Facts German economy. Beyond the key facts and figures, you will find 12 02 Economy in Germany 58 Key Research Institutions the addresses of government ministries, industry associations, 13 Facts 59 Research Funding parties and businesses as well as economic research institutes, 15 Key Institutions 60 Exchange Programs the business press and leading scientific institutions. We have 15 Contacts for International 60 Research Information also included a listing of bilateral trade federations in Germany. Investment 61 Social Research 16 The Federal States and Their Just in time for the 2006 Football World Cup the international media Economic Development Corporations 62 08 Business Press in Germany service operated by the initiative “Germany – Land of Ideas” (www.mediaservice.land-of-ideas.org) offers a whole array of 22 03 Companies in Germany 66 09 Business Journalism in Germany compelling stories from the world of German business. There, 23 Facts 67 Associations and Clubs you will discover exclusive articles and royalty-free photos, charts 24 Dax 30-Listed Companies and graphs as well as reports on unusual business ideas, exciting 70 Imprint innovations and the international managers and industrialists 34 04 Trade Associations in Germany who have tasted success in Germany. The service is presented to 35 Umbrella Organizations journalists free of charge by the “Land of Ideas”-initiative together 36 Industry with “Invest in Germany,” the federal government’s official invest- 40 Trade ment promotion agency. 40 Banks/Insurers 42 Logistics We hope that this brochure proves a valuable resource for your 42 Utilities work and we look forward to seeing you soon in Germany, the 43 Social Partners land of ideas. Gerhart Maier Managing Director Invest in Germany 2 3 POLITICS IN GERMANY 01 01 Facts Official name Federal Republic of Germany Founded May 23rd, 1949 Government type Federal Republic Government form Parliamentary Democracy Constitution The Basic Law of 1949 Reichstag Berlin Administrative divisions 16 states or Länder Capital Berlin Head of state Federal President Prof. Dr. Horst Köhler Head of government Federal Chancellor Dr. Angela Merkel Political parties Alliance ’90/The Greens, Christian Democratic Union (CDU), Christian Social Union (CSU), Free Democratic Party (FDP), Left Party (PDS/WASG), Social Democratic Party (SPD) Elections Based on a combination of direct and proportional representation (for parliamentary elections) Legislative branch A bicameral parliament consisting of the Federal Assembly or Bundestag (614 seats) and the Federal Council or Bundesrat (69 delegates of state governments) legislates on the federal level. State parliaments legislate on the state level. Judicial branch Federal Constitutional Court or Bundesverfassungsgericht (highest court) National holiday October 3rd, Unity Day 4 5 01 POLITICS IN GERMANY 01 Federal Government Federal President Prof. Dr. Horst Köhler Federal President Bundestag President Dr. Norbert Lammert (CDU) Press Martin Kothé Press Hans Hotter The Federal President is Germany’s head The Bundestag, or federal assembly, is Schloss Bellevue Platz der Republik 1 Spreeweg 1 of state, charged with representing the the German parliament. Since 1999, D-11011 Berlin D-10557 Berlin nation at home and abroad. While his the body, whose members are elected Phone +49 (0) 30 2273 7171 Phone +49 (0) 30 2000 2021 political powers are limited, he plays every four years, has met in the renovated Fax +49 (0) 30 2273 6152 Fax +49 (0) 30 2000 1999 the role of an integrative figure and moral Reichstag building in Berlin, with its I-Net www.bundestag.de (EN, FR) I-Net www.bundespraesident.de leader who stands above party politics. distinctive glass dome designed by E-Mail [email protected] (EN, FR, ES) Norman Forster. E-Mail [email protected] Federal Chancellor Dr. Angela Merkel (CDU) Federal Chancellor Bundesrat President Peter Harry Carstensen (CDU) Press Karl Schlich Press Dr. Michael Wisser The Federal Chancellor is the executive The Bundesrat, or federal council, Bundeskanzleramt Leipziger Strasse 3–4 Willy-Brandt-Strasse 1 head of government, charged with represents the interests of Germany’s D-10117 Berlin D-10557 Berlin formulating government policy. For all 16 states in the federal legislative Phone +49 (0) 1888 9100 170 Phone +49 (0) 1888 400 2522 intents and purposes, she is the most procedure. It has its seat at the former Fax +49 (0) 1888 9100 198 Fax +49 (0) 1888 400 2357 powerful person in the country. Prussian House of Lords in Berlin. I-Net www.bundesrat.de (EN, FR) I-Net www.bundeskanzlerin.de E-Mail [email protected] E-Mail [email protected] Government Ulrich Wilhelm Federal Press and Information Office Federal Constitutional Court President Prof. Dr. Hans-Jürgen Papier spokesperson Press Dietlind Weinland Press Marion Smith As the federal government’s information Germany’s highest court ensures that Schlossbezirk 3 Dorotheenstrasse 84 hub, the office collects information actions taken by parliament, the govern- D-76131 Karlsruhe D-10117 Berlin about the activities of government ment and the courts comply with the Phone +49 (0) 721 9101 349 Phone +49 (0) 1888 272 1660 ministries. It is therefore the first port of requirements of the Basic Law. Half of Fax +49 (0) 721 9101 382 Fax +49 (0) 1888 272 1027 20 call for journalists seeking information its judges are chosen by the Bundestag I-Net www.bundesverfassungsgericht.de (EN) I-Net www.bundesregierung.de (EN, FR) on government policies. and half by the Bundesrat. Judges on E-Mail [email protected] E-Mail [email protected] the court serve terms of twelve years. The court is based not in Berlin, but in the south-western city of Karlsruhe. 6 7 01 POLITICS IN GERMANY 01 Federal Government Parties in Parliament Foreign Minister Dr. Frank-Walter Steinmeier (SPD) Foreign Office Alliance ’90/The Greens Chair Reinhard Bütikofer, Claudia Roth Press Martin Jäger Press Sigrid Wolff The Foreign Office represents German The Greens were founded as a party at Werderscher Markt 1 Platz vor dem Neuen Tor 1 D-10117 Berlin interests abroad and manages rela- the federal level in 1980, with their roots D-10115 Berlin tions with foreign governments and in the ecological and peace movements. Phone +49 (0) 30 5000 2059 Phone +49 (0) 30 284 420 Fax +49 (0) 30 5000 3030 international organizations. The Office In 1993, the party merged with the “Alli- Fax +49 (0) 30 284 422 10 I-Net www.auswaertiges-amt.de today maintains 226 embassies and ance ’90,” a group of civil rights activists I-Net www.gruene.de (EN) (EN, FR, ES, AR) consulates worldwide, providing on-site in the former East Germany. The party E-Mail [email protected] E-Mail [email protected] information about current political and joined a federal government for the first economic developments in Germany. time in 1998, forming a coalition with the SPD that ended in 2005. Minister of Michael Glos (CSU) Ministry of Economics and Technology Christian Democratic Union (CDU) Chair Dr. Angela Merkel Economics and Press Matthias Barner Technology Under the motto “prosperity for all,” The CDU is one of Germany’s two largest Press Steffen Moritz Konrad-Adenauer-Haus the ministry carries the legacy of its parties. Its chair, Angela Merkel, currently Klingelhöferstrasse 8 Scharnhorststrasse 34–37 former head, Ludwig Erhard, the archi- serves as Chancellor. The party has held D-10785 Berlin D-10115 Berlin tect of Germany’s 1950s-era “economic the reins of government before under Phone +49 (0) 30 220 70 140 Phone +49 (0) 30 2014 6121 miracle.” Its policies are designed former chancellors Konrad Adenauer, Fax +49 (0) 30 220 70 145 Fax +49 (0) 30 2014 7010 to lay the groundwork for a healthy Ludwig Erhard, Kurt-Georg Kiesinger I-Net www.cdu.de (EN) I-Net www.bmwi.bund.de (EN) E-Mail [email protected] E-Mail [email protected] economy. and Helmut Kohl. Did you know that … ? Christian Social Union (CSU) Chair Dr. Edmund Stoiber Press Bernhard Schwab The smaller sister party of the CDU, the … no other developed industrial economy has so comprehensively improved the ease Franz-Josef-Strauss-Haus CSU is represented only in Bavaria. On Nymphenburger Strasse 64 of doing business as Germany? That’s according to none other than the World Bank the federal level, the CDU and the CSU D-80335 Munich in its report “Doing Business in 2006”. form a joint faction in the Bundestag. Phone +49 (0) 89 1243 226 The party has fielded two candidates Fax +49 (0) 89 1243 274 for chancellor, Franz Josef Strauss and I-Net www.csu.de (EN, FR, SP, IT, TR) Edmund Stoiber, but both lost to SPD E-Mail [email protected] incumbents.