Foreign trade

The German automotive industry and its employees depend on international trade. More than 75% of the passenger cars manufactured in Germany are sold abroad. To secure and strengthen Germany and Europe as a manufacturing location, the EU should strive for free trade and the dismantling of trade barriers worldwide.

If globalization and free trade are structured fairly, all parties can expect to see a rise in prosperity. Unauthorized price dumping as well as protectionist measures should, therefore, be pursued and dismantled by such supranational organizations as the WTO. The WTO has an important function as a guardian of free trade by monitoring compliance with regulations and resolving trade disputes through arbitration procedures.

Even if the Doha Round has not yet achieved the desired results, it has provided important impetus and will be developed further. After all, a multilateral dismantling of trade barriers remains the ideal solution. As long as this does not happen, the focus will continue to be on bilateral agreements. Numerous agreements have been signed in recent years, and others are under negotiation. They, too, must comply with WTO regulations and meet the minimum requirements for the scope of liberalization.