Frankfurt a. M., 11/09/2025: The Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (FAZ) published a guest article by Stefan Liebing and Andreas Freytag. It deals with Germany as a former export champion and how it can boost its position in global trade again.
Despite still being a strong export nation, Germany is slacking in foreign trade promotion & financing. In the past years new challenges appear that according to the authors the EU and Germany need to find solutions for to keep up with international competition:
- The unconventional and unpredictable trade policy of the US President Donald Trump
- Chinas competitive pressure with cheap products on global markets
- New growing markets from Africa and South America such as Nigeria, Egypt, Indonesia, Pakistan or Brazil that are emerging
Liebing and Freytag criticize that the German government is currently not aware of the situation and needs to make major changes to keep up with international competition. There are three levers for a promising foreign trade policy Germany needs to coordinate and operate: Trade policy, foreign trade promotion, and the instruments of foreign trade financing.
To do so the authors make four suggestions how to act:
- Long-term, strategic partnerships with future key states
- Focus on projects in raw materials, climate protection, security, and infrastructure
- More risk coverage for companies (guarantees, sureties)
- Stronger engagement in Africa, cooperation with AfCFTA (African Continental Free Trade Area)
Liebing and Freytag conclude Germany needs to redefine there foreign trade policy according to the new conditions. It should have a high priority for the German Government supported at the highest level.
Source (German): https://www.faz.net/pro/weltwirtschaft/wie-berlin-die-exportnation-staerken-sollte-accg-110676673.html