Germany’s economy minister hails Poland as “example of great success”
Katherina Reiche welcomed growing Polish investment in Germany.
Germany’s Economy Minister Katherina Reiche has hailed Poland as an “example of great success” during the fourth Polish-German Economic Forum in Warsaw. Reiche praised the deepening trade ties between the two nations, noting that bilateral trade last year surpassed €180 billion for the first time, up from €25 billion in 2000. Germany has traditionally been Poland’s largest trading partner, but recent data reveal that China overtook Germany as Poland’s largest source of imports in July.
Reiche also highlighted the growing investments of Polish companies in Germany, pointing out that around 1,000 Polish firms have invested in Germany while 1,600 German companies have invested in Poland. Poland’s economy has flourished since joining the European Union in 2004, with GDP growing at an annual average of 3.8%, twice the EU-wide average.
Germany’s largest train and tram manufacturer, Pesa, recently acquired German rival HeiterBlick to expand its operations across Europe. Reiche also mentioned that major German firms such as Mercedes-Benz have invested substantial amounts of money in Poland to build electric-only van plants. Polish Finance Minister Andrzej Domański warned Europe against repeating past mistakes as it confronts a rapidly changing geopolitical landscape.
He emphasized the need for a strong economy and new sources of growth to meet these challenges, urging Europe not to return to its previous approach on Russia. Domański stressed that Poland and Germany must work together to modernize the European energy market, focus on technological change, and prioritize security.
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