Consistently converting innovation into growth.

Innovations are the decisive conditions for the international competitiveness and growth of our economy. Companies in the electrical engineering and electronics industry are the motor of advance in practically all areas of the economy and life. Especially our sector profits decisively from a strong network of user industries in Germany. At the same time  it gives this network decisive innovation and growth impulses. Demanding clients in leading markets and more intensive competition, as well as the prospects of economic success, drive the quest for new solutions for tomorrow’s problems. Internal innovation motors are technical talents rich in ideas and venturesome entrepreneurs. These powers that strengthen innovation shold be promoted, obstacles to innovation and change must be removed at all levels.

• A successful innovation policy must above all promote the use of new technologies.
  
• Innovation is not only inventing and developing, but above all the successful application and marketing of technologies. Instead of deploying too much for “old” branches of industry, considerably more investments must be directed at the construction of growth industries and the use of new technologies to create new jobs.
  
• High-tech infrastructures in Germany can make a decisive contribution to the rapid opening up of new markets and the development of new companies. We must develop and reinforce high-tech infrastructures as a locational advantage for Germany. We need the most modern power supply infrastructures, a more efficient health service due to electronic networking and the latest medicin technology, extensive digitalisation of radio and television, security infrastructures as well as high-performance traffic systems. Telematics infrastructures, in particular in the congested areas, the further development of the railway network and the automation of the railway offer new opportunities. Transeuropean networks to transport people, information, power and goods, Industrial IT enable new forms of cooperation between companies and clients and the optimisation of development, production and logistics processes.
  
• Even more efficient cooperation between industry and science within the framework of joint projects would increase the effectiveness of public research financed by taxpayers’  money. Under the motto “Promote projects (and fewer) rather than institutions” we want to achieve more joint projects of industry and science and less promotion of institutions on the principle of giving everyone a slice of the cake. Research premiums can have a stimulating impact and focus the research financed by taxpayers’ money more on future needs, market opportunities and areas of application.
  
• In as far as the state intervenes in market processes by promoting business, it should be concentrated on growth poles or regional clusters. Helping self-strengthening clusters to convert ideas from research into practice. In addition, efficient cooperation between large companies, SMEs, universities, public sector and the financial industry will yield the best results.

Concrete ZVEI initiatives

• ZVEI umbrella campaign: “High-tech infrastructures” – leading markets and growth engines for Germany and Europe!
  

• ZVEI telematics initiative: Enabling intelligent mobility – German Telematics forum
  

• ZVEI digitalisation initiative for television and radio in Germany
  
• ZVEI initiative: Modern power supply infrastructures for Germany
  
• Community initiative: “Intelligent living” – Making life safer, more comfortable and better through technology!
  
• ZVEI key theme “Automation and Industrial IT”: Keys to the industrial value chain of the future in Europe!
  
• Competence network Microsystem technology and electronics in the automobile