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The German Federal Ministry of Finance wasted approximately €35 million of taxpayers’ money by purchasing 17,321 security smartphones for the customs administration. Due to missing IT approvals and serious functional defects, the devices were practically unusable. The Federal Court of Auditors exposed the issue, while the customs administration received virtually no compensation. This puts a […]

The last ID.3 has been built, marking the end of an era at the Transparent Factory, an era that shaped Volkswagen for years. VW Dresden is losing its vehicle production, even though the site has long been considered a symbol of modern industry. Electric car production is ceasing, but at the same time, a new

A growing number of forecasts indicate that Germany could face up to 15 years of prolonged stagnation. The shift in perspective among economic research institutes is noteworthy, as their earlier assessments were long considered overly optimistic and had to be regularly revised downwards, resulting in a significant loss of confidence. Now, the warnings are considerably

Jaguar on the brink of collapse – this stark description of the British manufacturer’s situation is more accurate than any marketing slogan. Following the complete shift to electric mobility, the company is facing a shortage of vehicles, sales, and trust, while the Jaguar crisis is visibly escalating. The announced electric relaunch was intended to rejuvenate

Offshore wind power expansion is faltering because investors fear for their returns in the current tendering process, which lacks feed-in tariffs. This concern is compounded by an immature tendering process, uncertain spatial planning, and growing doubts about contracts for difference. At the same time, offshore wind power expansion suffers from a lack of reliability, even

Ford is ending its electric vehicle strategy, drawing a clear line under one of the most expensive transformations in its corporate history. The US automaker is recording $19.5 billion in write-downs, reacting to a significant drop in demand for electric vehicles and changing political conditions in the US. Going forward, profitability, predictability, and robust margins

Automotive supplier Huhn-Teckentrup operated profitably at its Hüinghausen site, but noise regulations severely restricted the operation. Although the company remained competitive, the applicable regulations prohibited nighttime operation of a central facility. Because night production will no longer be permitted, production volumes must be relocated. Parts of the manufacturing process will move to the plant in

Merz is attacking the German economy at a time when prudence is needed. The Chancellor is responding to warnings of job losses, deindustrialization, declining tax revenues, and an overstretched welfare state with public rebukes. Instead of dialogue, he is choosing confrontation, even though companies are not arguing politically, but acting economically. Investments are being postponed,

Stuttgart faces the threat of insolvency by the end of 2025 because the city and the Green state government relied on a loss-free transformation of the automotive industry. Losses from conventional technology were supposed to be offset by new business areas in green technology. This offsetting failed to materialize. As a result, Stuttgart’s financial crisis

Evictions are noticeably increasing in Germany, and at the same time, rents, housing poverty, social housing, and tenant protection are increasingly coming into political focus. Within a year, more than 32,000 households lost their homes, even though many of those affected had previously paid their rent regularly. Rising rents and the growing burden of housing

The debate surrounding the costs of the energy transition is intensifying, as the question of what a complete energy supply actually costs increasingly remains unanswered. The example of a medium-sized German city demonstrates that electricity prices, infrastructure costs, and land use are significantly higher than often portrayed. The interplay between wind power, large-scale storage, and

Russian gas in Europe remains a geopolitical bone of contention, even though the European Union has decided to phase it out. Hungary, however, is pursuing its own course because security of supply and price stability are paramount for Budapest. Viktor Orbán is deliberately relying on Turkey to secure Hungary’s energy independence and circumvent Brussels’ regulations

The failure of climate policy became undeniably clear at the COP 30 climate conference in Belém, as the gap between aspiration and reality continues to widen. While the European Union remains steadfast in its pursuit of climate neutrality, other countries are pursuing pragmatic energy and economic policies. COP 30 made it clear that global climate

Rising unemployment among university graduates is fundamentally changing the German labor market because a university degree no longer offers reliable protection. Although businesses have long clamored for qualified personnel, more and more graduates are left without jobs, and even experienced professionals are losing their jobs. The job market for university graduates is in crisis, while

The exodus of German companies is developing into a major risk for Germany as a business location, due to a convergence of economic policy obstacles, rising costs, and international competition. Numerous background discussions with business owners and market observers reveal a consistent picture: investments are being postponed or directly relocated abroad. For investors, this development