Survey: 79 percent call for protection against non-EU takeovers

A clear majority of Germans are calling for state protection against takeovers of important technology companies by foreign investors. This is according to a current survey by the industry association Bitkom, in which 79 percent of respondents are in favor of the federal government preventing takeovers of leading companies in the German economy by non-EU investors. The representative survey of 1.156 people aged 16 and over shows significant differences depending on the investors' country of origin.

Germans are particularly skeptical of investors from Russia and China: 84 percent want to prevent takeovers by Russian investors, and 74 percent demand this for Chinese financiers. For investors from Gulf states such as Saudi Arabia or the United Arab Emirates, the figure is still 59 percent. Rejection is significantly lower for investors from India (42 percent), the USA (33 percent), and Japan (19 percent). Only 2 percent of respondents want to stop takeovers in principle, and the same number would allow all takeovers.

Semiconductors and Cloud in Focus

Bitkom identifies key areas such as semiconductor manufacturing, cloud services, software platforms, and cybersecurity solutions as critical for digital sovereignty. This also includes market-leading companies in industry, infrastructure, and trade. "Sovereignty means remaining independent or becoming more independent in key technologies," explains Bitkom President Dr. Ralf Wintergerst. "This also includes the question of who ultimately has control over strategically important companies."

However, Wintergerst emphasizes that Germany continues to rely on open markets and investments from outside the EU. Investment reviews must "address risks to security, resilience, and technological self-determination." The Bitkom President points to the need to maintain the ability to act in the face of geopolitical tensions and to reduce dependencies in central technological competencies, critical infrastructures, and economic security.

Further details on the survey can be found at Bitkom.

(fo)