The German SME Strategy

Germany’s SME sector – we call it our “Mittelstand” – forms the backbone of our economy and is a major pillar of our society. However, it is facing numerous challenges: external economic uncertainties, a skills shortage, red tape, a burden of taxes and charges, and energy costs.

The Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy’s SME Strategy is a comprehensive concept to enable Germany to value SMEs more, to strengthen their opportunities, and to ease the burden on them. A wide-ranging discussion and consultation process with many stakeholders fed valuable suggestions and ideas into the strategy. The outcome is a self-confident strategy which aims to keep SMEs on track for success. The measures in the Strategy are therefore not oriented solely to the current political circumstances. Rather, they focus on what is good, important and right for Germany’s Mittelstand.