"The German electrical industry is strongly integrated into global value creation processes. The simultaneous global weakness in trade, investment and industrial production in the past year has hit the sector hard," said ZVEI President Michael Ziesemer, assessing the situation. Price-adjusted production in the electrical industry from January to November 2019 was 4.2% lower than in the previous year. Turnover fell slightly by 1.2% to €175.6 billion and is likely to have amounted to €191 billion for the year as a whole. For 2020, the ZVEI expects production to remain stable at best.

Despite the economic slowdown, the number of employees in the German electrical and electronics industry has remained almost stable. It currently stands at 888,000 employees.

Digitalization and climate protection usher in a new era

In view of the unprecedented amount of data that is generated every day, the ZVEI is calling for clear rules for the data and platform economy, which must ensure one thing above all: social trust as a necessary prerequisite for a successful data economy. Personal data is particularly worthy of protection," says Ziesemer. "Nevertheless, it is important that it is available in anonymized form if it can benefit society as a whole." One example is the healthcare sector.

The ZVEI is calling for an intensive debate on the future use of data in Germany and Europe and is presenting a discussion proposal in the form of the "Guidelines of the German electrical industry on the responsible use of data and platforms". It is important to be able to make better use of existing data for industrial innovations and new business models in the future. "The data economy is an opportunity to strengthen industry in Europe in particular in international competition," continued the ZVEI President. "The EU Commission must now complete the digital single market: It is the key to the technological sovereignty of our continent."

Innovations for more climate protection

The ZVEI supports the German government's climate targets. Technological innovations are indispensable for effective climate protection. "The electrical industry in particular is already providing key solutions today - for all relevant sectors: transport, buildings, energy and industry," explains Wolfgang Weber, the new Chairman of the ZVEI Management Board since January 1, 2020. "Electrification is an important lever for reducing_{CO2 emissions}." Electricity must therefore be the most important source of energy, and it is right to adequately price the greenhouse gas_CO2 across the board. "The aim must be to make_{CO2 emissions} more expensive and clean electricity cheaper - this is the only way to create incentives to switch from fossil fuels to renewables." To achieve this, the entire system of energy levies, charges and taxes must be put to the test. "The energy transition must be managed as a system in which the large number of individual measures are finally coordinated," Weber continues. "Preferably at European level."