The Baden-Württemberg Chamber of Industry and Commerce (BWIHK) has warned against cuts in funding for the economy as part of the preparation of the new double budget. President Christian Erbe told the German Press Agency in Stuttgart that the funding programs that are in high demand – such as Invest BW, innovation vouchers and the digitization premium plus – must not be left behind. “They must be spared from cuts.” The programs have proven themselves and small and medium-sized companies in particular depend on them.
Erbe said the support was going in the right direction, which the country, with its inventors and thinkers, stands for per se. “The focus is on research and innovation. These topics are particularly important in difficult economic times.” Politicians should not think up new things when it comes to funding; the priority is to set the right framework for the big issues. Prime Minister Winfried Kretschmann (Greens) recently stated that the focus of the coming budget should be on the areas of digitization, security and research, among others.
Business succession program required
The state government, made up of the Greens and CDU, is currently in the process of drawing up a budget for 2025 and 2026, which is to be passed by the state parliament by the end of the year. Negotiations on the plan are difficult this year because there is less money available for new projects than in previous years. In addition, it is the last budget for the current legislative period. Political projects that are not reflected in it are likely to have little to no chance of being realized before the next regular state election in spring 2026.
At the same time, the association representative called for more support from the state on the subject of company succession. It is important to finally have a state-specific program to provide intensive advice to potential transferors of companies during the handover process. The generational change is a highly topical issue. “It is of great importance in terms of value creation and the preservation of jobs.” According to BWIHK figures, 27,000 companies in the state will be looking for a successor by 2026. This means that there is only one interested party for every five companies in the state.
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