11.08.2010 "Baden-Württemberg on the way to electro-mobility" is the main theme of this year's annual economic report from the ministry of economics. "For Baden-Württemberg especially as the birthplace and home of the automobile, the movement towards electro-mobility is having enormous effects". These were the words of Minister of Economics Ernst Pfister when he presented the report today. "In the area of automotive construction as one of the state's key industries, the aim of all the players must be to become the leading providers of electro-mobility."

As the minister explained, the state government wants to actively support the associated technological and structural transformation in the vehicle engineering sector and infrastructure and, above all, to involve small and medium-sized part suppliers as well: "Industry and science should get together to promote electro-mobility in all its facets." Given this situation, he continued, the state approved an initiative in 2009 for the advancement of electro-mobility, whereby the initiative – supplementing and building on the measures already initiated and running – provides for an additional 28.5 million euros up to 2014 for the promotion of structural and project-related measures in the area of electro-mobility. In order to facilitate coordination between all the different aspects, the state agency for electro-mobility and fuel-cell technology "e-mobil BW GmbH“" has been set up. The five-pillar initiative encompasses not only the establishment of this agency but also the development and expansion of the research infrastructure, basic and further training , traffic aspects and project promotion.

Apart from its main theme, the annual economic report, as usual, summarises relevant events in the previous year. Due to its strong export orientation, the industry of the south-west was hit especially hard by the worldwide drop in demand. After a reduction of 7.4 per cent in the economic output in 2009, the largest drop in the state's history, Baden-Württemberg is now recovering from the crisis.

The reaction of the labour market to the crisis was less severe than had been feared. The effects of the decrease in demand were cushioned, primarily by the use of short-time and flexitime working. In 2009, Baden-Württemberg's unemployment ratio at 5.1 per cent was therefore the lowest after Bavaria in 2009 and was considerably below the average for the country as a whole. The good structural condition of Baden-Württemberg companies is also making it easier to overcome the effects of the crisis. Many of them had used the preceding boom to enhance their competitiveness and, at the same time, increase their equity.

Now that global trade is picking up, the export strength of Baden-Württemberg is again proving to be the engine of the upswing. For 2010, Minister of Economics Ernst Pfister sees the basic tendency as rising. "In order to further accelerate positive developments in the state, we must trust in and rely on our specific unique strengths", he demanded. Above all the strong medium-sized companies, the "healthy mixture of large companies and small and medium-sized companies of global significance", are, for him, a factor for success.

Source: Ministry of Economics Baden-Württemberg

Further information in the Internet:

e-mobil BW GmbH – State agency for electro-mobility and fuel-cell technology Baden-Württemberg
http://www.e-mobilbw.de/Pages/index.php