Germany's chemical exports rose 24.9% in first six months of 2010

10 September 2010 16:57  [Source: ICIS news]

TORONTO (ICIS)--Germany’s chemicals exports soared 24.9% to €44.5bn ($56.3bn) in the first six months of 2010 from the year-earlier period, the country’s federal statistics agency said on Friday.

Chemicals were among the sectors with the highest growth rates in exports, said the Statistisches Bundesamt in Wiesbaden.

The car and car parts sector recorded the highest export increase - 40.8% to €76.9bn.

Overall, Germany’s first-half exports rose 17.1% to €458.3bn, the agency said. But the increase came against weak 2009 first-half exports because of the recession, it noted.

In related news, Germany’s chamber of commerce (DIHK) said in a study that the country's exporters still faced many obstacles.

The chamber said new “protectionist measures and obstacles” in the wake of last year’s recession had made the lives of Germany’s export-oriented producers much harder.

It cited, in particular, high safety and security standards in the US, as well as complicated certification requirements for exports to China and Russia.

In addition, Germany’s own export rules were often cumbersome, the chamber said.

German exporters had to wait much longer than their foreign competitors to obtain export permits, a delay that translated into a “significant competitive disadvantage,” it said.

The chamber called for “leaner” German export laws and regulations.

The whole area of export permitting should be harmonised within the EU, it added.

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By: Stefan Baumgarten
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