Overview

• After the coalition meeting, the government approved two sector summits with the chancellor for autos and steel, and a spokesman said scheduling is still being worked on.
• Industry reaction is mixed, with BMW’s Oliver Zipse welcoming the attention to carmakers while BGA president Dirk Jandura warned that an industry-only focus is insufficient.
• Ifo’s Clemens Fuest cautioned against clinging to legacy structures and called for space for new industries, and ZEW’s Achim Wambach urged redirecting Klima- und Transformationsfonds money from production support to targeted research such as battery development.
• The timing aligns with the September 14 municipal elections in North Rhine-Westphalia, and follows SPD calls for a steel summit after ArcelorMittal said German plants would not be retrofitted, with the party floating a potential state stake to safeguard jobs.
• A turf battle between Research Minister Dorothee Bär and Economy Minister Katherina Reiche over innovation responsibilities has stalled a coherent start-up strategy, and an FAZ editorial argues more summitry risks postponing necessary decisions.