Hoffmeister-Kraut demands: More space for entrepreneurship in Germany!

Hoffmeister-Kraut demands: More space for entrepreneurship in Germany!

The promotion of entrepreneurship in Germany is a central topic that caused intensive discussions at this year's conference of the Minister of Economic Affairs in Stuttgart. The chairwoman of the Economic Ministers' Conference (WMK), Dr. Nicole Hoffmeister-Kraut, urged better framework conditions for companies and especially for start-ups. "We have to have the courage to dare to take entrepreneurship," she emphasized, pointing out the numerous regulations and laws that burden industry.

In digital participation, Federal Minister of Economics Katherina Reiche also commented on the challenges. Hoffmeister-Kraut appealed to the Federal Government to represent the interests of the German economy at European level and to reduce a reduction in reporting and documentation obligations by up to 35 percent. "We have to reduce the bureaucracy to secure competitiveness," said Claus Ruhe Madsen, who also spoke to the challenges in Stuttgart.

reform needs and EU requirements

An important concern of the minister is the review of German law regarding excessive standards compared to the EU. It is primarily concerned with the framework conditions for private venture capital and the access of small and medium -sized companies (SME) to the capital market. Current EU requirements presented on May 21, 2025 aim to modernize the regulatory framework for companies. A new approach includes the definition of "small mid-caps" (SMC), whose bureaucracy requirements are to be reduced. This also includes increasing the threshold for the requirements of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

The EU also plans measures to digitize in product law. In the future, EU declarations of conformity will be able to be provided electronically and use instructions are available digitally, whereby safety-relevant information is still necessary in paper form.

secure competitiveness and tackle challenges

The topic of cyber attacks was also addressed, with the minister demanding the urgent support and strengthening of the cyber security industry. The latest research shows that this threat to companies is getting bigger. The IFO Institute emphasizes the need to target the needs of start-ups and SMEs in order to fully exploit their growth potential. The report outlines how crucial a clear strategy to support start-ups in Germany is to remain competitive at an international level.

The next WMK conference will take place in Constance in 2024, where the main topic of the event will be the strengthening of Germany business location through competition and innovations. The adoption of important decisions on the reform of the EU chemical regulation and the defense industry showed how wide the challenges are. "We need a revision of the supply store duty law at the EU level," said Dr. Melanie Leonhard from the SPD clear.

The economic framework is in transition, and companies are asked to pursue developments carefully and, if necessary, prepare for adjustments to their compliance and business strategies. The upcoming legislative measures offer both challenges and opportunities for the German and European market.

for detailed information on the developments and challenges for start-ups in Germany, see also the studies of the IFO Institute: ifo instut . Further information on the EU requirements can be found at Taylor Wessing . For more detailed insights into the WMK conference and its results, please visit WM Baden-württemberg .