Continuation of the “Security Policy Dialogue” with Lower Saxony’s Economics Minister Olaf Lies
On 8 July 2024, the “Security Policy Dialogue” was continued at the invitation of Lower Saxony’s Minister for Economic Affairs, Construction, Transport and Digitalisation, Olaf Lies, in Hanover. Together with Siemtje Möller MdB (Parliamentary State Secretary to the Federal Minister of Defence) and industry representatives from Lower Saxony, the discussion focused on aspects of a sustainable security policy and what is needed to ramp up the production of defence technology for Germany and its international partners.
The “security policy dialogue” is a real win-win situation for everyone involved: the industry needs clear guidelines, regulations and support from politicians, while politicians in turn need reliable partners in order to achieve their security policy goals. ILFA Managing Director Thomas Michels used the microelectronics industry as an example to show what planning security must look like for companies and what hurdles currently exist in order to be able to build up additional production capacities. A shortage of skilled labour, high energy costs, bureaucratic hurdles and a low proportion of funding opportunities all play their part in making dynamic growth more difficult for domestic industrial companies. An international comparison in particular shows that European and German companies find it much more difficult to hold their own in international competition.
The ongoing “Security Policy Dialogue”, which was initiated at the beginning of the year, plays a key role in ensuring that politics and business meet on an equal footing. The players can formulate their requirements and thus gain a better understanding of the different interests of all parties involved. The common goal of sustainably strengthening Lower Saxony as a production location for defence technology thus becomes much more concrete. We at ILFA would like to thank Olaf Lies MdL for his initiative and his energy in supporting us with our issues.
