On the occasion of the federal-state meeting, the presidents of the BDA and BDI, Rainer Dulger and Siegfried Russwurm, issued a joint appeal: Germany faces decisive weeks - for evidence-based opening scenario and planning horizon

Berlin, 10 February 2021: The Corona pandemic poses enormous and difficult challenges for society and the economy. Some industries have been in complete lockdown for weeks or even months. Many companies are now not only in an existential emergency - they also lack the necessary planning horizon. There is no light at the end of the tunnel. The situation is serious.

We therefore urgently plead for an opening concept with which economic life is opened up gradually and regionally differentiated, at the same time along a nationwide uniform and evidence-based health policy framework. This includes systematic, scientific monitoring of the effectiveness of individual containment measures. It is now crucial to optimise hygiene, testing and vaccination strategies nationwide, to better integrate them with each other and to establish uniform criteria for the required approach. This is the basic prerequisite for a gradual opening of the economy.

It is about responsibly and sustainably opening up sales opportunities and securing supply chains as well as value chains. Our economy is particularly closely intertwined with cross-border supply chains and employee structures. It must be possible to successfully drive forward pandemic containment throughout Europe. Otherwise, any national success will not last and will set companies and their workforces back. The German government and the European Commission would be well advised to step up the coordination of containment measures and keep the single market as open as possible.

German industry is standing shoulder to shoulder with politicians when it comes to protecting the health of the population in this pandemic. Companies are proving in a variety of impressive ways that the workplace in Corona times is a comparably safe place: With pandemic plans, a variety of home office and data protection regulations, and collective bargaining agreements, we have achieved a great deal together with our employees. In recent months, German industry has created opportunities for home office and mobile working that were previously unknown in our country.

We are aware that the mutation of the virus requires a stricter approach. But it is now purposeful to present a clear and evidence-based opening scenario instead of continuing restrictive measures in a multi-week rhythm without a medium-term perspective.

For us, there is no question that combating the pandemic and dealing with its economic, societal and social effects can only succeed if we work together. The German business community is ready for dialogue. We expect politicians to present the medium-term strategy for an opening scenario promised in January.

To the complete article in the SZ >>