KfW Internationalisation Report 2023

One in every ten of the 3.8 million small and medium-sized enterprises in Germany compete internationally. Larger manufacturing firms in particular, which are among the main drivers of turnover, employment and investment in the SME sector, compete with foreign rivals. These often come from Europe but also from China, other regions of Asia and the US. German SMEs currently see themselves as being well-positioned in international competition in many respects. Most of them are also optimistic about their future competitive position but they also see a clear need for action. Eliminating bureaucracy, addressing the shortage of skilled labour, creating acceptance for the green transformation by preventing competitive disadvantages, safeguarding the supply of raw materials and energy and driving digitalisation forward are important steps.

KfW Internationalisation Report 2023(PDF, 2 MB, non-accessible)

Press release