According to Eurostat, the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in the Eurozone amounted to 7.3% in June 2008 which is the same rate as in May. One year earlier, in June 2007, it had been 7.4%. In the EU27 the rate was 6.8% in June 2008. One year earlier there were 7.1% unemployed people in the EU27. In the USA and Japan unemployment rates were 5.5% nd 4.1% respectively in June this year. more…

“Theseus” is a research project by the German ministry for economic affairs which is to lead to products, tools, services and business models for the internet. In the course of this project the German Ministry for economic affairs has now launched the technology competition called “Theseus SME 2009” which gives small and medium-sized entities in Germany the opportunity to shape the internet of the future. Particularly promising new products, services and business models will be sponsored by up to 10 million Euros in total. Project proposals may be submitted until December 1st 2008. more…

The Association of German Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DIHK) predicts that even though the growth of German imports and exports will somewhat slow down in 2008 and 2009, Germany will nevertheless kepp its leading global position. Experts by the DIHK assume that German exports may surpass the magic barrier of 1 trillion Euros, German exports to France break the 100 billion barrier and the German trade balance surplus amount to more than 200 billion Euros for the first time ever. These optimistic predictions are based on the “German foreign trade in 2008/2009” survey. more…

An ever increasing number of Germans want to go online. This is confirmed by significant growth rates in the number of private households having internet access. Thus, experts at the German Association for Information Management, Telecommunications and New Media (BITKOM) predict that by the end of 2008 turnover generated in the business with internet access is likely to grow by 8.5% to 8.4 billion Euros. The BITKOM forecast is based on figures provided by the EITO market research company. In 2007 the growth rate was just 7.5%. more…

The “Kursnet” database by the Federal Employment Agency has been developped into a comprehensive and useful portal for information on professional training and further education. Among the new features are the target group-oriented categories “citizens”, and “businesses” and “institutions”. Thus, it is possible for those seeking training and education, companies and those providing training and education to inform themselves on relevant subjects. more…

A study by the Association of German Engineers (VDI) showed that half of all German companies do not make use of customer relationship management systems (CRM-systems). In most companies there is not a systematic controlling of the bidding process. 75% of companies said that bid proposal management is a usual everyday process which is not systematically planned. According to the VDI, it is this fact which shows that there is still a lot of potential for improvement in this process. more…

In June 2008 prices for imported goods were up by on average 8.9 percent as compared to June last year. According to the Federal Statistical Office, this corresponds to the biggest increase in the annual inflation rate since November 2000. At the same time it becomes evident that annual inflation is increasing at an accelerated pace given that in May and April this year the rates were 7.9% and 5.7% respectively. In June inflation was once more to a great extent a consequence of exorbitant price rises for energy which inreased at an annual rate of 49.7%. more…

In the year 2006 more than 6.4 million people were employed by about 715.300 businesses and organisations in the service sector which was 400.000 more people (+6.6%) than in the previous year 2005. And this trend seems to have continued also in the first quarter of 2008. This can be assumed if one looks at the findings of the “Konjunkturstatistische Erhebung”, a survey which is carried out every three months in selected fields of the service sector by the Federal Statistical Office. more…

In order to remain updated on global developments and in order not to be taken by surprise by crises such as high oil prices or the financial crisis in the USA – which would all have been foreseeable if one had closely followed the global economic development – it is now possible to obtain the necessary overview reading the “Europe’s World” magazine containing articles by experts from all around Europe. more…

In May there was a drop in incoming orders for industrial companies in the EU. In the Eurozone (EZ15) the index for incoming orders fell by 3.5% as compared to April. In the EU27 the number of incoming orders decreased by 4.7%. As compared to May 2007 the index fell by 4.4% in the Eurozone and by 2.8% in the EU27. This was announced on Wednesday by Eurostat, the European Statistical Office. more…