Chat Club Up-to-Date with Lars Feld
I met Lars Feld a few days ago at an event and took the opportunity to talk to him exclusively about the current situation of the German economy, which is caught between ecological restructuring and international competition. The top economist provides a forecast for the future development of the German economy and assesses the difficulties we will face in the coming months.
"Companies need better framework conditions"
Lars Feld analyses the difficulties he sees the German economy facing. He emphasises the need for better framework conditions for companies in order to enable both ecological restructuring and an increase in international competitiveness. According to Feld, we have a significant cost problem in Germany: high labour and energy costs are a major obstacle and inhibit both private and public investment.
Ecological transformation and international cooperation
A central point of our discussion was the ecological transformation. Feld emphasised that international action is necessary in order to comply with climate protection standards. Only through international minimum standards can we ensure that the energy transition and climate protection are successfully implemented.
The energy transition and CO2 pricing
Another topic was the energy transition. Feld sees carbon pricing as the central guiding instrument, as it offers several key advantages, including the possibility of international coordination. " Progressing the energy transition is not that easy" is his conclusion.
Migration of German companies
We also discussed the reasons for the apparent exodus of German companies. These are often not actual outflows, but rather investment expansions in countries such as Switzerland or the USA, where there is less regulation.
Investment backlog in infrastructure
When asked about the investment backlog in infrastructure in Germany, Lars Feld emphasises the complexity of the problem. Among other things, there are many obstacles that hinder public and private investment. For example, the expansion of railways is being hampered by recurring lengthy legal proceedings.