Leaders of the G5 Business Federations

17 October 2008: On occasion of the financial crisis BDI President Thumann met the leaders of the G5 Business Federations in Paris.

They agreed in a joint statement on measures on how to cope with the crisis.

• G5 Joint Statement by American and  European Business Leaders (pdf)
  
  

11 September 2008: German industry is highly critical of the decision by the European Parliament’s Industry Committee that 100% of allowances should be auctioned to manufacturing industry by 2020 in the framework of the European ETS. 

“Blanket auctioning of emission allowances threatens growth and jobs in Europe” said BDI Director General Werner Schnappauf.  “In so doing, the EU is playing dice with the competitiveness of European industry, imposing costs totalling billions of euros and placing a question mark over many thousands of jobs while doing nothing for the climate.”

• Press release
  

	Dr. Hans-Peter Keitel
©HOCHTIEF Aktiengesellschaft

28 August 2008: Mr. Thumann proposes  the BDI Vice-President Prof. Hans-Peter Keitel as the new BDI President.

“In September, together with all the Vice-Presidents, I will recommend that the BDI Presidential Board propose Prof. Keitel be elected as BDI President for 2009/2010 at the General Meeting in November”, Mr. Thumann stated today in Berlin. This proposal was unanimously welcomed by the Vice-Presidents.

Prof. Keitel has been President of the Association of the German Construction Industry and Vice-President of the BDI since 2005.

• Press release
  

	Werner Schnappauf (left) and Jürgen Thumann

14 November 2007: Werner Schnappauf (54) took up office as BDI Director General in Berlin.

The BDI Presidential Board and BDI Executive Board had unanimously appointed the former Bavarian state minister for environment, health and consumer protection. 

• Press release
  
  
  

25 September 2007: The study "Costs and Potential of Greenhouse Gas Abatement in Germany" was commissioned by the “BDI initiative - Business for Climate Protection” and executed by McKinsey. The study identifies a wide variety of technological levers for reducing greenhouse gases and calculates their costs.

The “BDI initiative - Business for Climate Protection” hopes the study will lay the foundation stone for a process of increased cooperation between the federal government and society.

• Report on Costs and Potentials of Greenhouse Gas Abatement in Germany
• Summary and Charts
• Manual to Study

30 August 2007: The BDI and its Japanese partner federation Keidanren presented a joint declaration to Federal Chancellor Angela Merkel in Tokyo.

The federations called upon the governments of both countries to lobby for an agreement between the EU and Japan to enhance economic relations. From the BDI perspective, more intensive cooperation on standards and certification would be key.

• Joint Declaration

	Welcome of EU Commissioner Mc Creevy at the BDI

27 / 28 June 2007: The conference tool place on the occasion of the German Council presidency and sought to give fresh impetus to the future of European company law. 

The BDI conference was held under the auspices of the Federal Minister of Justice, Ms Brigitte Zypries.

• Press release: BDI asks for full company mobility and freedom of contract!
  
  
  
  

  Information, documents and pictures of the conference

	The leaders of the G8 business organizations and Chancelor Merkel

22 June 2007: The key business organizations of the G8 countries welcome the results of the G8 Summit held 6 – 8 June 2007 in Heiligendamm.

The leaders of the business organizations appreciate that the heads of state have addressed mounting challenges to the trading system, the international investment regime, the efficiency of capital markets, the structure and rules for enforcement of intellectual property protection, and global environmental conditions. As a result, the leaders of the G8 countries have highlighted the challenges articulated in the G8 Business Declaration that was finalized at the BDI G8 Business Summit on 25 April 2007.

• The Business View on the Heiligendamm Declaration
   
• Press release: BDI President Thumann on the G8 summit: Positive signal for world economy
• Press release: BDI President Thumann on the G8 declaration on climate protection: “G8 countries’ openness for global solutions is a success”