AFP, Berlin :
Germany was Wednesday set to toughen rules on non-EU share purchases and acquisitions of its strategic companies, amid growing disquiet about takeovers by Chinese firms.
It plans to lower the threshold where reviews apply to foreign purchase offers of 10 per cent of companies, down from 25 per cent now.
Germany and other EU states have voiced growing concern in recent years as Chinese companies have bought up, or purchased controlling stakes in, high-tech firms, airports and harbours.
Chancellor Angela Merkel’s cabinet planned to approve the change to the Foreign Trade Regulation, and Economy Minister Peter Altmaier was then to give a statement at 1130 GMT. The update would strengthen government powers to review and possibly block foreign purchases in companies that are crucial to Germany’s defence or “critical infrastructure”.
This would include military, IT security and power companies but also, for example, large food producers, reported the business daily Handelsblatt. “The test criterion is whether an acquisition endangers the public order or security of the Federal Republic of Germany,” an economy ministry spokesman told AFP. Alarm has grown in Germany about losing valuable knowhow since Chinese appliance giant Midea in mid-2016 took over German industrial robotics supplier Kuka. In mid-2017 Germany tightened scrutiny of non-EU takeovers of strategic companies, doubling to four months the time for reviews, and broadening the range of sectors.
China issued a word of caution about the rules, though it said they did not target a specific country.
“As protectionism and unilateralism intensifies, different parties should pay more attention to avoid sending the wrong signals to the outside world when launching any kind of policies,” said Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying at a press briefing in Beijing.
“We hope Germany will create fair and open market access … for international enterprises, including Chinese enterprises, investing in Germany,” Hua said.
As major players in the global economy, both Germany and China “have shared responsibility to maintain free trade and multilateralism,” she added.
Germany was Wednesday set to toughen rules on non-EU share purchases and acquisitions of its strategic companies, amid growing disquiet about takeovers by Chinese firms.
It plans to lower the threshold where reviews apply to foreign purchase offers of 10 per cent of companies, down from 25 per cent now.
Germany and other EU states have voiced growing concern in recent years as Chinese companies have bought up, or purchased controlling stakes in, high-tech firms, airports and harbours.
Chancellor Angela Merkel’s cabinet planned to approve the change to the Foreign Trade Regulation, and Economy Minister Peter Altmaier was then to give a statement at 1130 GMT. The update would strengthen government powers to review and possibly block foreign purchases in companies that are crucial to Germany’s defence or “critical infrastructure”.
This would include military, IT security and power companies but also, for example, large food producers, reported the business daily Handelsblatt. “The test criterion is whether an acquisition endangers the public order or security of the Federal Republic of Germany,” an economy ministry spokesman told AFP. Alarm has grown in Germany about losing valuable knowhow since Chinese appliance giant Midea in mid-2016 took over German industrial robotics supplier Kuka. In mid-2017 Germany tightened scrutiny of non-EU takeovers of strategic companies, doubling to four months the time for reviews, and broadening the range of sectors.
China issued a word of caution about the rules, though it said they did not target a specific country.
“As protectionism and unilateralism intensifies, different parties should pay more attention to avoid sending the wrong signals to the outside world when launching any kind of policies,” said Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying at a press briefing in Beijing.
“We hope Germany will create fair and open market access … for international enterprises, including Chinese enterprises, investing in Germany,” Hua said.
As major players in the global economy, both Germany and China “have shared responsibility to maintain free trade and multilateralism,” she added.
