MittelstandsWiki

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. +++

“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. +++

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. +++

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%. +++