Germany: Top Exporter
December 5, 2007
"The preliminary trade figures for this year underline the global
competitiveness of the German economy," Bernd Pfaffenbach, a state
secretary in the ministry, told DPA news service.
He said that Germany's success was based on high quality products and technological innovation.
The World Trade Organization (WTO) figures, which were released in Geneva, showed a 19-percent increase in German exports to 661 euros ($969 billion) during the first nine months of this year.
Push for greater liberalization
Last year, exports contributed 39 percent to Germany's gross domestic product, DPA reported. The Economics Ministry said that figure appeared likely to rise slightly this year.
Pfaffenbach said the figures demonstrated the need for a successful conclusion to the WTO's Doha Round of trade talks.
"Further liberalization of world trade would have a lasting positive effect on global trade and would give added impulse to growth and employment particularly in export-oriented Germany," he said.