The Local Germany

Merz to outline EU position on tariffs to Trump on Tuesday

Fri, 27 Feb 2026 16:38:09 +0100

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz will outline the EU's "coordinated position" on the latest US tariffs when he meets President Donald Trump in Washington next Tuesday, Berlin said.

What Merz’s Beijing trip means for trade and Germany-China relations

Thu, 26 Feb 2026 15:22:41 +0100

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has wrapped up his first official visit to China. From a major Airbus deal to conversations about Ukraine, Taiwan and Europe’s growing trade imbalance, here’s a look at the issues raised in Beijing.

German shops hit by supply problems ahead of festive season

Mon, 25 Oct 2021 14:05:05 +0200

Germany's business climate worsened in October for the fourth month in a row as supply chain woes weighed on the country's export-driven economy, according to survey data published Monday.

Can Merkel rally Germans behind massive EU recovery 'U-turn' package?

Tue, 19 May 2020 17:00:37 +0200

Angela Merkel will need to spend much of the political capital she banked during the coronavirus pandemic to rally Germans behind a massive European recovery package that marks a sharp break with Berlin's budget orthodoxy.

German trade surplus still largest in the world

Mon, 20 Aug 2018 17:40:28 +0200

According to the Institute of Economic Research (IfO), Germany will have the biggest account surplus in the world for the third successive year in 2018. It is not only Donald Trump who is irritated by the country’s export-heavy economy.

Record 125k people file suit against Canada trade deal

Wed, 31 Aug 2016 17:27:44 +0200

More than 125,000 Germans have filed the largest citizen lawsuit in German history against the controversial proposed CETA trade deal between Canada and the EU.

Mega budget surplus is Germany's best since 1990

Tue, 23 Feb 2016 10:58:24 +0100

Germany ran up a record surplus in its public finances in 2015, with Europe's biggest economy showing "solid and consistent" growth last year, the federal statistics office said on Tuesday.

OECD warns Germany to cut down on booze

Tue, 12 May 2015 18:03:47 +0200

As some of the biggest boozers among rich countries' citizens, Germans have been warned that they should cut down on alcohol to safeguard their health and save the taxpayer money.

Germany hits export surplus record in 2014

Mon, 02 Feb 2015 13:16:36 +0100

Economics think tank Ifo said on Monday that their projections show Germany's exports exceeding imports by €220 billion in 2014, pushing the country to a new world record.

Consumer confidence hits 13-year high

Wed, 28 Jan 2015 11:45:00 +0100

Driven by low oil and energy prices, German consumer confidence is at its highest in 13 years, according to new figures released on Wednesday.

China to receive Merkel with military honours

Fri, 04 Jul 2014 10:03:00 +0200

German Chancellor Angela Merkel heads to China this weekend for her seventh visit, eager to deepen trade and investment ties between the export powerhouses of Europe and Asia.

What is the impact of US shutdown on Germany?

Tue, 15 Oct 2013 15:55:00 +0200

From hitting the country’s huge export industry to affecting embassy services, Germany is feeling the impact of the US shutdown, with the prospect of an American default stoking further fears.

Germany 'regrets' US government shutdown

Wed, 02 Oct 2013 15:42:00 +0200

Germany said on Wednesday it "regrets" the shutdown of the US government, but said that the economic impact should remain limited if deadlock ended within two weeks.

Mice games reveal why we sell out our morals

Mon, 24 Jun 2013 13:14:00 +0200

A German economist has worked out how a cheap deal can make people ignore their personal convictions - and says his study debunks the idea that market forces can iron out unethical practices.

Wanted: a green, fair economic system

Wed, 15 Aug 2012 18:07:00 +0200

Most Germans would like a new economic system which focussed more on environmental protection and social justice, according to a new survey.

'Occupy Frankfurt' protestors highlight inequality

Sat, 29 Oct 2011 15:34:00 +0200

As up to 5,000 “Occupy Frankfurt“ protestors were expected in the German finance capital on Saturday, Spencer Kimball spoke to some of the people camped out there.

Greek immigrants remain stoic in face of German taunts

Fri, 24 Jun 2011 14:14:00 +0200

As Greece faces financial disaster, its people face hostility and conflicted feelings in Germany. While they sometimes endure jokes and taunting, they know that their countrymen are suffering back home.

German ignorance of economics revealed

Mon, 13 Dec 2010 16:41:00 +0100

Germans know extremely little about economics and three quarters don't even have a full grasp of how percentages work, a new study has found.

Merkel to warn G20 on trade protectionism

Tue, 09 Nov 2010 09:15:00 +0100

Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel warned on Tuesday ahead of this week's G20 meeting in Seoul that trade protectionism poses the greatest threat to global economic recovery.

German author teaches economics with nurse love story

Mon, 30 Mar 2009 10:12:00 +0200

A cheesy love story dripping with kitsch: Doe-eyed sister Helga falls head over heels for handsome surgeon Robert. It's not the kind of story you would expect to find in an economics textbook.