CDU on the economy

The CDU wants to set up a new fund that supports companies undergoing structural change with equity capital. It would also invest in especially innovative firms and support start-ups. In the CDU's view, viable companies should not fail for lack of capital.

The CDU wants to set up a new fund. A fund is a big pool of money. The money should help companies that must change a lot. Young companies with new ideas should get money too.

The fund is to use equity instruments to accompany the transformation of key economic sectors. It would invest in especially innovative companies and support start-ups, mainly in their growth phase. State-supported investment in research and development infrastructure is meant to open up opportunities for young firms and new industries. The fund would be backed by the state and other new investors. It is also open to public-private partnership models.

The CDU wants to help companies reach new foreign markets and merge existing export promotion efforts. "Baden-Württemberg Business Centers" are to be set up in key markets. The state premier is also to actively court investment.

Companies from Baden-Württemberg sell a lot abroad. The CDU wants to help them find new countries as customers. For this there should be special offices abroad. The state premier should promote the state.

The services of the state agency Baden-Württemberg International, the chambers of commerce with their foreign chambers, and the German Centres of the state bank are to be pooled. The CDU is looking especially at growth regions such as Southeast Asia, India and South America. The reason given is the wish to spread sales markets more widely in uncertain times. The state premier is to represent the interests of business and workers in Berlin, Brussels and worldwide and pave the way for companies to locate in the state. At the federal level he is to argue for less red tape and lower levies.

The CDU wants to relieve small and mid-sized companies through less bureaucracy and faster permits. Deemed approvals are to be extended, and contacts with authorities pooled and digitized. An ombudsman's office is to help firms when procedures stall.

The CDU wants to make life easier for companies. Companies should have to write fewer reports. Offices should decide faster. If an office does not decide in time, the request counts as approved. Companies with problems can turn to a new office.

Reporting duties are to be cut, procedures run digitally and state-level requirements limited to what is necessary. Deemed approval, where an application counts as granted once a deadline passes, is to be extended to further suitable procedures, with liability rules adjusted. Contacts with authorities are to be merged on a one-stop-shop basis without lowering protection standards. The administration is to use its discretion in favor of business and jobs. Added to this are an ombudsman's office within the state government, an AI chatbot as a first contact for firms wanting to invest, continuation of the "Horizont Handwerk" program and help with business succession.

The CDU wants to make it possible to found a company digitally within 48 hours and to spare founders bureaucracy for a time. Foundation law is to be changed so that foundations can make long-term investments in entrepreneurial projects. According to the program, young companies in their growth phase need venture capital.

The CDU wants to make founding companies easier. People should be able to found a company online in 48 hours. New companies should have fewer rules to follow at first. Foundations should be allowed to put money into new companies.

A bureaucracy moratorium for founders is planned. The CDU also wants to push for tax relief for young companies. The change to foundation law is meant to complement the ZukunftsFonds BW. Experienced specialists and managers are to get more opportunities to take part in founding companies. The start-up bonus for master craftsmen is to cover further qualifications and be available for a longer application period.

The CDU wants its own high-tech agenda to promote key technologies and create regional high-tech clusters. In these, universities, research, start-ups, industry and mid-sized firms would work in networks. The aim is to turn knowledge into economic value faster.

The CDU wants to strongly support new technology in the state. This includes AI, robots and medical technology. In the regions, companies and universities should work closely together. This way ideas should become products faster.

The agenda focuses on fields such as artificial intelligence, micro, quantum and battery technology, photonics, medical technology, robotics, biotechnology, fusion, propulsion technology, aerospace, defense technology and cybersecurity. Innovation parks are to be created and the clusters linked across the state. The CDU also supports research on the circular economy, recycling of rare earths, and green and clean tech. Industry-related services are to be strengthened as drivers of innovation as well.

The CDU wants to largely suspend state-level restrictions in at least ten real-world labs. New technologies are to be tested there under real conditions and reach the market faster. At the federal and EU level it wants to press for exemptions from rules in favor of innovation.

The CDU wants to create special test areas. They are called real-world labs. Far fewer state rules apply there. Companies can try out new technology there. There should be at least ten of them.

The program sees these labs as regional or sector-specific special economic zones. As possible fields it names vehicle and propulsion technology, artificial intelligence, energy supply, photonics, quantum and battery technology, robotics, defense technology, life sciences and medical technology. An initiative to exempt innovations from regulations is to follow at the federal and EU level. The reason given is the wish for a culture that enables investment.

The CDU wants to work out a new tourism strategy with the industry and expand the tourism infrastructure program. The aim is to strengthen the state as a quality travel destination and secure jobs. Skilled workers for hospitality are also to be recruited.

Many people vacation in Baden-Württemberg. The CDU wants to make a new plan for tourism. Hotels and restaurants should have good conditions. There should be more skilled people for these jobs.

The strategy is to combine quality, sustainability, digitalization and a leading international position. The tourism infrastructure program is to be strengthened, with priorities such as innovation, mobility, accessibility and digitalization. Clear funding structures are meant to give businesses more planning certainty. The CDU supports training, further education, staff retention concepts and international initiatives for skilled workers. It points out that it campaigned for the permanently reduced value-added tax rate of seven percent on restaurant meals.

The CDU wants to write startup activity into law as a core task of universities on par with research and teaching. Startup centers with uniform early-stage funding are to support new companies up to market readiness, and the state higher education act is to make spin-offs easier.

The CDU wants more companies to start at universities. Starting companies should become a fixed task of universities. There should be startup centers with early money. Professors should be able to start companies more easily.

A reform of the state higher education act is to set clear rules on side jobs, conflicts of interest and universities' stakes in spin-offs. For intellectual property, a uniform statewide standard with binding deadlines is planned; if the deadline passes, the transfer of a property right counts as approved. Moving between academia and business is to become easier in both directions. Successful foreign doctoral students should be able to stay for startup projects through deemed approvals and transition rules. Promising startups are to get more support beyond the earliest stage as well.

The CDU wants to let fully automated stores without staff open on Sundays. This is meant to improve local supply, especially in rural areas, without giving up Sunday protection as a whole.

Some stores run without any staff. The CDU wants these stores to open on Sundays too. This should help villages most. Sunday should otherwise stay protected. Sales staff do not have to work for this.

The rule applies only to shops without sales staff. The platform justifies it with modern local supply in rural areas. Sunday protection as a whole and the interests of retail employees are to be preserved.