Prüfschwelle for companies to decline to acquisitions News

The shopping spree of Chinese investors in Europe provides for discussions. Now, the Federal government has agreed, according to a media report on how you acquisition plans easier to verify and, if necessary, can stop.

The Federal government wants to control the Acquisition of German companies by investors from countries outside the EU in the future, strict. After months of negotiations, the coalition agreed on a draft law that should be decided at the Cabinet meeting on Wednesday, reported the "Handelsblatt".

testing from the Acquisition of ten percent

Federal Minister Altmaier wanted to Prüfschwelle, initially to 15 percent.

the core of the revision of the external economic regulation is, therefore, a lowering of the threshold for the Federal government, a share acquisition by an Investor outside the European Union and, where appropriate, under can say. So far, this is the threshold that a company share of 25 percent. According to the draft, you should drop to ten percent. This step goes beyond the current plans of Federal Minister Peter Altmaier, who had originally proposed 15% as the target.

The future threshold of ten percent expressly refers only to companies in safety-relevant areas. These include, among other things, the defense and the so-called critical infrastructures such as energy, utilities, rail, road or data networks.. Under the scheme, but also food producers, if they exceed a certain size. The list of security-related companies should be enlarged in the course of the Reform to companies in the media industry, reported the "Handelsblatt".

The Federal Economics Ministry confirmed to Reuters request that the amendment to the foreign economic regulation, "coming soon to the Cabinet". For more information about the content of the Ministry is not made.

in response to approach of Chinese investors

In recent months, had catered primarily to the acquisition plans of Chinese investors repeatedly for discussions. The goal of the upcoming reform is that the Federal government can have a say in time, if the legitimate security interests of Germany could be affected.

In November had agreed the EU on a far-reaching System for the verification of foreign investment in Europe. In the view of the States, especially Chinese companies. The people's Republic of to be held, to strengthen their industries through targeted Acquisitions in key sectors. The Federal government has prevented this year about buying a stake of 20 percent to the electricity grid operator 50Hertz by an Investor from China. Also against the Adoption of the Westphalian machine manufacturer Leifeld, the government wanted to Veto it, but the Chinese interested party withdrew because of the political concerns.

Federal China's entry into the German power grid is prevented, 27.07.2018 machine manufacturer Leifeld: Veto Chinese plans for Acquisition, 26.07.2018 Atlas |Berlin, Germany your opinion - meta.tagesschau.de