Global Scans · Germany · Weekly Summary

• [New] Australia is not teetering on the brink of recession - northern hemisphere economies such as Germany and others are expected to expand more slowly next year - but growth is uneven and below the long-term trend of pre-pandemic years. The Times
• [New] Automotive Cells Co. confirmed it will halt plans to build battery gigafactories in Germany and Italy and said it is holding talks with unions at its French venture as key backer Stellantis NV downsizes its electric-vehicle plans. financialpost
• [New] Berlin Brandenburg Airport-Germany's third-busiest hub serving 25+ million annual passengers-experienced its most severe winter disruption in modern history when freezing rain created black ice so dangerous that operations halted completely for 48 hours. Travel Tourister
• [New] For a long time, as Constanze Stelzenmueller has put it, Germany's economic model could be summarised by: (a) outsourcing security to the US; (b) outsourcing economic growth to China; and (c) outsourcing energy needs to Russia. Elcano Royal Institute
• [New] Germany's TK Elevator is set for a potential Frankfurt IPO after its investors Advent and Cinven picked banks for what could be Europe's biggest float in years. Morningstar, Inc.
• [New] Germany plans to amend its Criminal Code to punish disposable agents acting on behalf of foreign powers, amid sabotage investigations that authorities suspect may be linked to Russia. EU DisinfoLab
• [New] Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway and the UK have signed the Hamburg Declaration - a landmark commitment to deliver 100 GW of joint offshore wind projects across shared North Sea waters by 2050. Euronews
• [New] Germany has set ambitious targets to expand offshore wind capacity to 30 GW by 2030, 40 GW by 2035, and 70 GW by 2045. Enerdata
• [New] Germany's direction will be decisive: alignment by other Member States with a more restrictive German stance could significantly harden Europe's overall policy towards China. ECCO
• [New] Zelensky set 2027 as the target date for Ukraine to join the EU, but Germany's Merz said that it is not feasible for Ukraine to join in 2027 because meeting the political, economic and legislative conditions is a process that takes years. Sarcastosaurus
• [New] Set in June, NATO members agreed to spend 3.5% of GDP on defence by 2035, with an additional 1.5% for defence-related infrastructure. / Germany Clarion Defence DSEI
• [New] On the international front, Germany has ordered eight MQ-9B SkyGuardian drones, which will be utilized for maritime surveillance and submarine hunting operations. Aerospace & Defense News
• [New] Among other factors, billions in German government spending are expected to provide a short-term boost, mitigating the impact of tariffs imposed by the United States. Deutsche Welle
• [New] Germany's continued investment in surplus imaging and endovascular treatment facilities will only strengthen its competitive position. Precedence Research
• [New] Only 16% of German respondents expect profitable growth in the coming years. KPMG
• [New] Should storage levels drop to even more dangerously low levels, then energy-intensive industry will be forced to shut down - a step that would cripple the already struggling German economy. Clintel
• [New] A real upturn in Germany is not to be expected without far-reaching reforms. KPMG
• [New] Defence spending across the European Union will ramp up in 2026 and is expected to meaningfully contribute to growth. / Germany CCA Financial Planners
• [New] Prime Minister Modi invited German companies to invest / expand businesses in India to benefit from its strong economic growth, business-friendly environment, large highly-skilled workforce and immense opportunities to scale up operations. Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India
• [New] The tax-advantaged active pension starting in 2026 might result in opportunistic windfall effects but does nothing to address the core issues of the precarious finances of the public pension system. / Germany LBBW
• [New] Germany is the biggest manufacturer and will continue to act as the leading producer in Europe, due to its well-developed engineering foundation, its strong support for SMEs, and increased investment by companies into digital manufacturing facilities. SkyQuest Technology Consulting

Last updated: 10 February 2026