Germany: Strategy

The EU Pharma Package introduces a novel approach to combat antimicrobial resistance through transferable exclusivity vouchers that reward innovation in priority antimicrobials while simultaneously implementing stricter antibiotic stewardship measures. This regulatory framework attempts to resolve the fundamental tension between incentivizing pharmaceutical companies to develop new antibiotics and ensuring these critical medicines are used prudently to prevent further resistance development.

Die neue EU-Verpackungsverordnung (PPWR) ist seit dem 12. August 2026 geltendes Recht und betrifft alle Unternehmen, die mit Verpackungen oder verpackten Produkten arbeiten. Während viele Verantwortliche im Sommerurlaub waren, veröffentlichte die Europäische Kommission eine Woche vor Anwendungsbeginn praxisrelevante FAQ, die neue Anforderungen an Konformitätserklärungen, Lieferantenmanagement und Dokumentationspflichten mit sich bringen. Unternehmen stehen nun vor der Herausforderun

Germany is positioning itself to become Europe's dominant military power through an extensive defense modernization program that will run through 2039. With defense spending more than doubling since 2020 and investments spanning space, AI, drones, and long-range capabilities, Berlin's military ascendance creates both opportunities and tensions with traditional European defense leaders like France and Poland.

European financial regulators are advancing major reforms across sustainable finance disclosure, investment firm risk management, and ESG ratings oversight. From stricter sustainability reporting requirements under SFDR 2.0 to streamlined fund reporting frameworks and new endorsement rules for third-country ESG ratings, these developments signal a significant shift in regulatory expectations for asset managers, investment firms, and rating providers operating in EU markets.

Europa erlebt einen sicherheitspolitischen Paradigmenwechsel - mit gravierenden Konsequenzen weit über die Rüstungsbranche hinaus. Nele Frie und David Peroz analysieren, wie die strategische Neuausrichtung der europäischen Verteidigungspolitik Investorenperspektiven verändert, die Kapitalmärkte bewegt und die Debatte um nachhaltige Finanzregulierung neu entfacht.

The German automotive industry is facing its biggest crisis in decades.

A European Patent Office Technical Board of Appeal decision examines whether incorporating energy costs into blow molder input parameters constitutes an inventive step over prior art that considered energy efficiency. The central dispute revolves around whether "energy costs" encompasses energy consumption or is limited to monetary costs, and whether a claim broad enough to produce results indistinguishable from prior art can satisfy inventive step requirements.

The European Union's Cyber Resilience Act introduces mandatory cybersecurity requirements for products with digital elements, with critical notification obligations taking effect in September 2026.

In this final episode of the 2026 World Retail Podcast series on Unlocking volume growth, Niamh Stone and Markus Schmid from AlixPartners interview Torsten Toeller, founder of Fressnapf, Europe's leading pet retail brand.