Adjustment to changing international conditions

The structural changes in the world economy have made themselves increasingly felt in the Federal Republic of Germany over the past few years. For the first time since 1965 there is again a current account deficit, since merchandise trade is no longer able, due to the worsened terms of trade, to finance the traditional deficits on services and transfers. What policy should the Federal Government follow in order to help German industry adjust to these changes?     

Development of German air traffic

The airports in the Federal Republic of Germany have for years shown a rate of traffic increase far exceeding that of any other branch of the transport and communications industry. The result of this trend are adjustment problems particularly as far as regional air traffic, airport planning and feeder-lines from and to the airports are concerned.     

German investments abroad and foreign investments in the Federal Republic

The investments of residents of the Federal Republic of Germany in economic areas abroad and of non-residents in the economic area of the Federal Republic are the subject of the following article. Their development over the last fifteen years is analysed in regard to their geographical location and distribution over the various economic sectors. One of the questions to be examined is whether German investments in foreign countries are an alternative to exports from the Federal Republic or a necessary complement to such exports.     

Steel crisis and steel policy — A comparison

The recent steel conflict between the USA and Europe has once again dramatically highlighted the close links between political and economic strategies in this field. The world-wide steel crisis has provoked permanent state intervention in the steel industry. The forms taken by this intervention are examined and compared here for four Western European countries: the Federal Republic of Germany, France, Britain and Austria.     

Economic problems of increasing urbanisation

The economic problems of increasing urbanisation are presently the subject of active discussion — in other industrialised and in developing countries no less than in the Federal Republic of Germany. The following article deals with the special features of the development in the Federal Republic.     

The relationship of the GDR to the World Bank Group

In the World Bank’s last annual report the Federal Republic of Germany was described as a leading member of the World Bank Group (IBRD, IFC and IDA). The Federal Republic has subscribed about $ 1.4 bn to the capital of the World Bank and to date contributed $ 1.1 bn to IDA. The second German state, the German Democratic Republic (GDR), on the other hand, is taking a negative attitude to the World Bank Group. Why does it do so?     

Why more stable prices than abroad?

In many of the western industrialized countries the rate of inflation — high as it was — almost doubled between 1973 and 1974 whilst in the Federal Republic it did not escalate any further, the oil price explosion notwithstanding. Are the basic economic and social conditions in the Federal Republic more conducive to stability than elsewhere?     

Trade needs international cooperation

Internationality is in the Federal Republic of Germany no mere slogan. A country whose industry and commerce is so closely interlinked with the economies of other countries needs international cooperation, and that not only within the restricted circle of its EEC partners, but also in the wider sphere of the world economy. An economic policy which aims at achieving a balance between the interests of the various countries concerns not only the state, but also industry, exporters and importers. In an attempt to ascertain their attitude towards the current questions of monetary policy, towards the problems of equalising the balances of payments and towards the present stagnation affecting European integration, we interviewed the President of the Central Association of German Chambers of industry and Commerce.     

The Federal Republic in the North-South dialogue

For some time now the Federal Republic of Germany has been the largest exporter in the world, with a slight lead over the USA and some way ahead of Japan and the Soviet Union. It has therefore an important role to play in the North-South dialogue. The increasing mutual dependence of the Federal Republic and the developing countries is described by different scenarios in the following article.     

The Federal Republic in the North-South dialogue

For some time now the Federal Republic of Germany has been the largest exporter in the world, with a slight lead over the USA and some way ahead of Japan and the Soviet Union. It has therefore an important role to play in the North-South dialogue. The increasing mutual dependence of the Federal Republic and the developing countries is described by different scenarios in the following article.

     

Economic impact of foreign labour

Over 2.3 mn foreign workers are now employed in the Federal Republic of Germany. They account for 10 p.c. of the total labour force. How many foreigners will work in the Federal Republic in future is necessarily a matter for conjecture. Labour market experts forecast that — depending on the rate at which the productive potential is used — between 2 and 2.8 mn foreign nationals will be constantly employed until 1985.     

Outlets for developing countries in the German market

As one of the biggest trade partners of the developing countries the Federal Republic of Germany is of necessity one of the states to which these countries will address their trade-political demands at UNCTAD V. An analysis shows however that, as the classic competences for trade policy decisions have been largely transferred to the EC, the Federal Republic is left with very little scope for action.     

An optimistic look at the year 1968

After almost twenty years of unparalleled economic growth, the Federal Republic of Germany has experienced a setback in 1967. The Federal Republic's Government is attempting to overcome this crisis with purposive economic policies. INTERECONOMICS had the opportunity of speaking to the Federal Minister for Economic Affairs, Professor Schiller, about development prospects for the German economy for 1968.     

Germany’s trade with Latin America

This study analyses the development of the Federal Republic’s foreign trade relations with 20 Latin American states within the 15 years from 1963 to 1977. It examines primarily the exchange of goods between the Federal Republic and the seven most important Latin American countries which on an average of the last 15 years accounted for more than 75% of the German foreign trade with the Central and South American states.     

The impact of store hours and redistributive income effects on the retail industry: some projections for Germany

In this paper, the impact of the relaxation of Blue Laws on the retailing industry structure will be examined with regard to the 1996 store-hour expansion in the Federal Republic of Germany.The first part will deal with the historical development of Blue Laws in the US, Canada and the UK. The assessment of Germany's trading time situation and proponents' and opponents' previous arguments about whether or not to implement the proposed legislation will lead to an analysis of relevant conceptual and empirical research to evaluate expected restructuring effects on the German retailing industry.The impact of redistributive effects is determined, predictions with regard to the projected development are established, and directions for future research are generated.     

Development aid and employment in the Federal Republic of Germany

The discussion on an increase of development aid is overshadowed by uneasiness about job opportunities at home. Against the demands for a sizeable increase of development aid funds it is often argued that such aid draws purchasing power away from the internal market if it is not tied to deliveries by the Federal Republic of Germany. Recent data show however that, since these “ties” were largely abolished in 1973, most funds allocated to development aid have still been flowing back into the Federal Republic in the shape of export orders.     

Cooperation with take-off countries

In consequence of the growing economic differences between the developing countries themselves, the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany has developed, alongside plans to combat absolute poverty, a concept for cooperation with relatively advanced developing countries. Rainer Offergeld, Federal Minister for Economic Cooperation, explains this concept.     

Effects of German development aid on the internal economy

The importance of economic cooperation with the Third World for the internal economy is attracting increasing attention in the discussion of development aid topics in the Federal Republic of Germany¹. In this context it is of interest how the German development aid bears on the internal economy of the Federal Republic through feedbacks (in the form of contracts for German firms) from its bilateral and multilateral development aid payments. The following article presents the results of a relevant inquiry for the year 1976².     

Trade relations with the Communist countries

After the Federal Republic of Germany, Japan is the second largest trade partner of the Communist countries as a whole and of the Soviet Union and the largest partner of the People’s Republic of China. It has only been in recent years that Japan gained this formidable position in the trade with the East.     

Some considerations on the external public debt of LDCs

The Federal Republic of Germany, together with the United States of America, is one of the most determined opponents to the developing countries’ demand for a general debt moratorium (and also the UNCTAD integrated programme on commodities). However, the outcome of recent international conferences will not be without consequences for the actual relationship between Germany and the developing countries. At least the necessity of reconsidering possible arrangements has become clear, if a further isolation of the Federal Republic of Germany in the North-South dialogue is to be prevented.