Among other things, a rally is planned at the Brandenburg Gate as part of the "Economic Warning Day". Together with around 50 other associations and other industry representatives, the German Steel and Metal Processing Association is sending out a loud "SOS": "We need an economic turnaround, a turnaround towards growth," says WSM Managing Director Christian Vietmeyer.
Sending an SOS signal
In this case, the distress signal SOS stands for "Save our small and medium-sized enterprises", according to the association. The sectors represented in the WSM alone account for 5,000 companies and almost 500,000 jobs. "This Economic Warning Day is not a test alarm. We've been on the back foot for a long time," says Vietmeyer.
Realistic solutions are needed
Politicians are aware of the problems: energy supply and cost reduction, cutting red tape and regulation, reducing taxes, investing in infrastructure. All of these points are already being addressed in the election campaign. However, according to the association, it is now a matter of creating realistic solutions that will free the industrial barge Germany from its listlessness.