Pfeiffer / Mißfelder: Secure, affordable and sustainable supply of raw materials for a sustainable business location
April 26.04.2012th, 3 Berlin - Today the CDU / CSU parliamentary group discussed the paramount importance of a secure raw material supply for the German economy as part of the XNUMXrd raw materials congress. The economic policy spokesman for the CDU / CSU parliamentary group, Joachim Pfeiffer and the foreign policy spokesman, Philipp Missfelder, explain:
“Securing raw materials is an indispensable prerequisite for a sustainable German economy and for Germany as an industrial location today. The CDU / CSU is committed to a safe, inexpensive and sustainable supply of raw materials. It is crucial for economic development in Germany, Europe and worldwide. The numbers speak for themselves: In Germany, raw materials worth around 140 billion euros are used every year, and the trend is rising. It is therefore the order of the day to react to the global trend towards shortages and price increases. This is first and foremost the responsibility of the company. But it needs to be flanked by politics. Distortions of competition, trade barriers, speculation on the raw material markets and a high concentration of world raw material production in a few, sometimes unstable countries, increase delivery risks. This jeopardizes the growth opportunities in our country.
In order to achieve the raw materials policy objectives, a package of measures at various levels is required: increasing raw material efficiency and efficiency, eg through increased recycling and substitution, as well as increasing the use of domestic raw materials and ensuring the necessary imports. Increased investment in research and development is also necessary. One central component is the raw materials foreign policy, ie the strengthening of international cooperation with our European and non-European partners as well as with all supply regions.
With the newly formed Commodities Alliance, German industry has taken an important step to bundle forces in international markets. The EU-led federal government actively supports these efforts, for example by initiating raw material partnerships with Mongolia and Kazakhstan, or by advocating the removal of trade barriers and the conclusion of free trade agreements. The increased exploration of existing, so far only insufficiently known raw material potentials worldwide and a coordinated approach throughout Europe also offer new opportunities.
The 3rd raw materials congress showed that companies and politics are tackling the future issue of raw material security together. The CDU / CSU parliamentary group has thus initiated a discussion process on issues of raw materials policy with a broad public. The participation of high-ranking representatives from politics and business from home and abroad underscores the great interest in this topic. It is important to maintain and expand this dynamic. The economy is challenged to drive the initiatives started on all levels. The CDU / CSU parliamentary group will intensively continue the dialogue on a political level. "
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