Will Germany soon depend on China? Tech experts warn

Berlin. According to experts, Germany and the European Union are at risk of falling behind when it comes to digital technology and relying heavily on China.

On Wednesday, the Expert Committee on Research and Innovation (EFI) presented its annual report to Federal Research Minister Bettina Stark-Watzinger (FDP) with corresponding recommendations for action regarding research and innovation policy. It is the fifteenth opinion of the Committee.

“Reliance on Chinese imports worries the panel of experts,” it said in an accompanying statement. Commissioner Caroline Haussler said Germany has strengths in production technologies, biosciences and life sciences. Digital technologies have been rated “Critical” due to obvious weaknesses. China’s proven power stands in stark contrast to this.

With the “systematic” competition between the West and China growing, there is a growing risk that “we won’t be able to reliably access critical technologies in the future,” Hussler said. The committee therefore sees “an urgent need for action: issues of key technologies and technological sovereignty are at the top of the political agenda.” Appropriate funding for research and innovation is recommended.

In climate policy in individual transportation, experts believe that battery cars are the most environmentally efficient and most economically logical option for saving greenhouse gases. In order to achieve a “decisive breakthrough”, they advocate “significantly” higher CO2 prices and a reduction or even abolition of the electricity tax and EEG surcharges. Car tax should also be lowered and more usage-based taxes such as tolls and parking fees should be used.