Eric Schweitzer, President of the Association of German Chambers of Industry and Commerce (DIHK). (picture alliance/Britta Pedersen/dpa-Zentralbid/dpa/archive)
German economic operators are calling for urgent relief from their government given the cooling of the economy.
"The burdens on companies in this country have increased significantly by international standards," the president of the DIHK association of German chambers of commerce and industry, Eric Schweitzer, told dpa. "To hit the brakes here would be an important signal, both structurally and economically."
The German government expects gross domestic product growth of only 0.5 per cent this year, down from the past 1 per cent.
Economic Affairs Minister Peter Altmaier (CDU) has spoken out in favour of structural relief when it comes to taxes, duties and bureaucracy. A spokeswoman for Finance Minister Olaf Scholz (SPD) said, however, that his department does not see any need for a general corporate tax reform.
The tax burden for German companies is high by international standards, according to Schweitzer.
"A competitive tax system is a prerequisite for companies to be able to compete also internationally," he said, adding that the preferred method would be a decrease in tax rates for companies.
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