https://feeds.thelocal.com/ Read the latest news and views from Germany in English en-us news@thelocal.com (TheLocal) webmaster@thelocal.com (TheLocal) TheLocal RSS Feed Despite downturns and stagnation, Germany remains the world's third largest economy for the third year running, according to a new study. But India is expected to jump ahead by the end of the decade. https://www.thelocal.de/20260225/germany-remains-worlds-third-largest-economy-but-india-may-overtake Wed, 25 Feb 2026 09:49:05 +0100 germany-remains-worlds-third-largest-economy-but-india-may-overtake Germany's economy is unlikely to rebound in 2026 as geopolitical uncertainty, high costs and weak domestic demand weigh on growth, the German Chamber of Industry and Commerce (DIHK) said Tuesday. https://www.thelocal.de/20260217/german-economy-will-not-take-off-in-2026-says-chamber-of-commerce Tue, 17 Feb 2026 13:34:26 +0100 german-economy-will-not-take-off-in-2026-says-chamber-of-commerce German chemical group Wacker Chemie said Thursday it will axe 1,500 jobs, almost a tenth of its workforce, in a cost-cutting drive as the sector slips deeper into crisis. https://www.thelocal.de/20251127/german-chemical-firm-to-cut-1500-jobs-as-crisis-deepens Thu, 27 Nov 2025 14:50:10 +0100 german-chemical-firm-to-cut-1500-jobs-as-crisis-deepens With the industry teetering on the brink of collapse, the German Chancellor is hosting an urgent steel summit this week. Why is the industry so important for Germany, and can it be saved? https://www.thelocal.de/20251106/what-to-know-about-plans-to-save-the-german-steel-industry Thu, 06 Nov 2025 10:30:43 +0100 what-to-know-about-plans-to-save-the-german-steel-industry German Chancellor Friedrich Merz called Tuesday for "more flexibility" from the EU in the transition to electric cars as resistance grows over plans to phase out combustion-engine vehicle sales by 2035. https://www.thelocal.de/20250909/german-chancellor-merz-ramps-up-pressure-on-eu-over-electric-car-shift Tue, 09 Sep 2025 19:32:35 +0200 german-chancellor-merz-ramps-up-pressure-on-eu-over-electric-car-shift Businesses across various industries, from hospitality to postal services, are concerned that they may struggle to fill basic jobs amid a sharp drop in the number of refugees entering Germany. https://www.thelocal.de/20250805/german-businesses-worried-about-sharp-drop-in-incoming-asylum-seekers Tue, 05 Aug 2025 16:41:28 +0200 german-businesses-worried-about-sharp-drop-in-incoming-asylum-seekers The EU still hopes to strike a deal with the United States despite President Donald Trump's ramped-up threat of 30-percent tariffs, the bloc's trade chief said Monday, with pressure on Brussels to toughen its stance. https://www.thelocal.de/20250714/eu-still-seeking-trade-deal-after-new-trump-tariff-threat Mon, 14 Jul 2025 15:32:59 +0200 eu-still-seeking-trade-deal-after-new-trump-tariff-threat As Germany's new government plans an ambitious push to rebuild bridges and big infrastructure projects across the country, local leaders say it will take more than funding to make projects happen. https://www.thelocal.de/20250521/germanys-infrastructure-push-needs-more-than-money Wed, 21 May 2025 10:31:46 +0200 germanys-infrastructure-push-needs-more-than-money Top members of Germany's new conservative-led government have pushed for an 'evaluation' of cannabis legalisation, but for now companies producing and selling the product are seeing business boom. https://www.thelocal.de/20250519/high-times-for-german-cannabis-firm-since-legalisation Mon, 19 May 2025 11:28:22 +0200 high-times-for-german-cannabis-firm-since-legalisation US President Donald Trump has announced another tariff on foreign imports, this time affecting cars and car parts. Here's how its expected to affect the German economy. https://www.thelocal.de/20250327/how-will-trumps-car-tariffs-impact-germany Thu, 27 Mar 2025 13:01:26 +0100 how-will-trumps-car-tariffs-impact-germany European consumers outraged by US President Donald Trump’s Ukraine policy turnaround, among other issues, have begun boycotting products and services made by US-based companies. Will the boycott take off in Germany? https://www.thelocal.de/20250312/will-german-consumers-join-the-growing-boycott-of-us-made-goods Wed, 12 Mar 2025 12:42:07 +0100 will-german-consumers-join-the-growing-boycott-of-us-made-goods US President Donald Trump is continuing to rely heavily on tariffs in his economic policy. Revived tariffs on metal imports to the US are expected to hit Europe - and especially Germany - hard. https://www.thelocal.de/20250211/what-do-trumps-steel-and-aluminium-tariffs-mean-for-germany Tue, 11 Feb 2025 11:23:32 +0100 what-do-trumps-steel-and-aluminium-tariffs-mean-for-germany Over 140,000 automotive manufacturing jobs are expected to be cut over the coming decade in Germany, a new study has found. But this is only half the story, as new jobs are being added in related sectors, an employment expert says. https://www.thelocal.de/20241030/transformation-crisis-is-germany-really-on-course-to-cut-140000-auto-industry-jobs-in-a-decade Wed, 30 Oct 2024 13:57:45 +0100 transformation-crisis-is-germany-really-on-course-to-cut-140000-auto-industry-jobs-in-a-decade Volkswagen, Europe's biggest carmaker, has cancelled a long-standing job-protection deal and is mulling closing factories in Germany as it attempts to cut costs. Here's what we know so far – and who could be affected. https://www.thelocal.de/20240913/explained-will-there-be-job-losses-and-plant-closures-at-volkswagen-in-germany Fri, 13 Sep 2024 11:52:35 +0200 explained-will-there-be-job-losses-and-plant-closures-at-volkswagen-in-germany The European Commission announced plans Tuesday to impose an extra nine-percent tariff on Tesla's China-made electric cars, much lower than what Chinese firms face unless Beijing compromises in a trade row. https://www.thelocal.de/20240820/tesla-imports-to-face-lower-rate-eu-tariffs-in-germany-than-other-china-made-evs Tue, 20 Aug 2024 18:19:24 +0200 tesla-imports-to-face-lower-rate-eu-tariffs-in-germany-than-other-china-made-evs Germany's breweries sold less beer in the first six months of 2024 despite the Euro 2024 tournament being held in the country. https://www.thelocal.de/20240801/germany-sold-less-beer-in-first-half-of-2024-despite-euros Thu, 01 Aug 2024 12:25:46 +0200 germany-sold-less-beer-in-first-half-of-2024-despite-euros An explosion and subsequent fire at the main plant of German chemical giant BASF left 18 workers slightly injured, the company said. https://www.thelocal.de/20240730/fire-at-germanys-basf-plant-leaves-18-injured Tue, 30 Jul 2024 10:52:37 +0200 fire-at-germanys-basf-plant-leaves-18-injured "Only a few businesses were able to benefit directly" from the European Football Championship in Germany, according to a recent survey carried out by the German Hotel and Restaurant Association (DEHOGA). https://www.thelocal.de/20240713/germanys-hospitality-industry-sees-no-major-impact-from-home-euro-2024 Sat, 13 Jul 2024 10:06:35 +0200 germanys-hospitality-industry-sees-no-major-impact-from-home-euro-2024 A new techno club opened inside the Tesla factory just outside Berlin's city limits. A number of employees have celebrated the opening online, but local clubgoers are more sceptical. https://www.thelocal.de/20240711/not-a-club-you-want-to-visit-how-berliners-are-reacting-to-teslas-new-nightclub Thu, 11 Jul 2024 17:53:27 +0200 not-a-club-you-want-to-visit-how-berliners-are-reacting-to-teslas-new-nightclub German weapons manufacturer Rheinmetall, whose business has boomed amid the Ukraine war, is set to hire workers from Continental as the auto supplier cuts thousands of jobs, the companies said on Friday. https://www.thelocal.de/20240614/german-arms-maker-to-hire-workers-from-ailing-auto-firm Fri, 14 Jun 2024 14:18:31 +0200 german-arms-maker-to-hire-workers-from-ailing-auto-firm