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The article offers a look on the victory of Angela Merkel as chancellor of Germany. The new Christian Democratic Union (CDU)-Free Democratic Party (FDP) coalition is expected to have a solid stable arrangement as they both promised to lower income taxes, cut red tape, and reverse a previous government decision to abandon nuclear power. It sees foreign relations as an immediate challenge to the new administration while the country's damaged banking system is likely to require the government's constant prioritization.

This article assesses the risk to Germany's infrastructure. The country has excellent infrastructure that is well integrated into European networks. Transportation disruption is very rare although roads are increasingling congested. In the eastern part of the country public investment has led to improvement in infrastructure. It described as low the risk of energy shortages in the short and medium term.

The article presents an infrastructure risk assessment for Germany as of December 2008. It is stated that the disruption of transportation due to operational problems is rare because the country's transport infrastructure is of a very high standard. Civil aviation is said to be liberalised and well developed, resulting in a drop in the cost of flying. Several risk scenarios are discussed, which include the problem of energy supply resulting from disputes between Russia over gas and oil contracts.

The article presents a labour market risk assessment for Germany as of December 2008. It is stated that Germany has relatively rigid labour market regulations, while having a well-trained workforce with a world-class vocational training programme for manufacturing. Several risk scenarios are discussed, which include the demand of trade unions for significantly higher wage settlements and the imposition of an economy-wide minimum wage.

This article presents a labour market risk assessment for Germany as of August 27, 2008. Labour market regulations in Germany are described as rigid but the country has well-trained workforce and excellent vocational training programme. There is a growing chance that major legislative changes will happen in the country's labour regulations as discussion about wage subsidies and minimum wages continue. The country's unit labour costs have declined because of falling real wages and firm productivity growth.

The article presents a labour market risk assessment for Germany as of June 2008. It is stated that Germany has relatively rigid labour market regulations, while having a well-trained workforce with a world-class vocational training programme for manufacturing. Several risk scenarios are discussed, which include the demand of trade unions for significantly higher wage settlements and the imposition of an economy-wide minimum wage.

This article presents a labor market risk assessment for Germany as of March 31, 2008. The country's labour market regulations is described as rigid but it has well-trained workforce and excellent vocational training programme. There is a growing chance that major legislative changes will happen in the country's labour regulations as discussion about wage subsidies and minimum wages continues. The country's unit labour costs have declined because of falling real wages and firm productivity growth.

The article presents an analysis of Germany's labour market risk, as of November 2007. The country has relatively rigid labour market regulations. Although wage rates are high in Germany, productivity is also high. Trade unions are organised by industry, though most come under the umbrella of the German Trade Union Federation.

This article provides an assessment of labor market risk of Germany in 2007. The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) identifies the results of several labor market reforms implemented by the government, including increased flexibility for temporary workers and reduced benefits for the unemployed. Still, the firm warns about the impact working practices and labor law. It also analyzes the risk of discussion about wage subsidies and minimum wages.

This article provides a risk assessment of infrastructure of Germany in 2007. The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) recognizes the excellent infrastructure of the country. The EIU stresses the importance of an improving fiscal position to maintain a high quality system. The firm also recognizes the country's well-developed civil aviation. The firm reminds about the risk of energy shortages in the country.

The article presents the labour market risk assessment for Germany as of May 2007. It notes that the risk that recent intensive discussion about wage subsidies and minimum wages will result to major legislative changes is low. The risk that trade unions will demand significantly higher wage settlements is said to be moderate. It is expected that the government will tighten wage regulations.

The article offers an infrastructure risk assessment for Germany as of May 2007. Because the country's transport infrastructure is of a very high standard, it is said that the risk of disruption due to operational problems is low. It expects that the risk of energy shortages in the short and medium term is also low. However, it forecasts that the country faces the risk of increases in transport costs.

The article assesses the labour market risk of Germany as of March 2007. It notes that Germany has an excellent, well-trained workforce with a world-class vocational training programme for manufacturing. It is observed, however, that the country's working practices and labour laws remain fairly restrictive. Meanwhile, the risk that the government will tighten wage regulation is said to be high.

The article assesses the infrastructure risk of Germany as of March 2007. It notes that the country has a very high transport infrastructure. Germany's civil aviation, telecommunication, and retail and distribution networks are said to also be of high quality. Meanwhile, it is observed that the risk of energy supply becoming a problem for businesses is low.

The article provides a risk assessment of Germany's labour market as of December 2006. It is noted that the country has rigid labour market regulations and high wages. Further reforms envisaged by the coalition of CDU/CSU and SPD are timid. There is said to be a small risk that recent intensive discussion about wage subsidies and minimum wages will lead to major legislative.

The article provides an assessment of infrastructure risk in Germany as of December 2006. It is noted that the country has excellent infrastructure, which is well integrated into European networks. The country's transport networks are of a very high standard, so that disruption due to operational problems is uncommon. There is said to be low risk of energy shortages in the short and medium term.

The article provides a country risk assessment of Germany for 2006 and 2007, focusing on its labour market. The country is said to have rigid labour market regulations and high wages, while having an excellent, well-trained workforce with a world-class vocational training programme for manufacturing. Reportedly, several labour market reforms have been implemented by the previous government, which increase flexibility for temporary workers, reduce benefits for the unemployed and slightly ease restrictive employment protection legislation.

The article provides a country risk assessment of Germany for 2006 and 2007, focusing on its infrastructure. Germany's infrastructure is said to be well integrated into European networks, and the transport networks are of a very high standard, so that disruption due to operational problems is rare. It is noted, however, that maintenance investment and new infrastructure projects have been reduced due to fiscal constraints. Reportedly, civil aviation has been liberalised and is well developed and the cost of flying has decreased substantially.

Germany has an independent judiciary and a fair legal system that is not open to political interference. Contracts can be enforced and the judicial system is reliable, albeit often slow. There is very little risk of expropriation, but there is some regulatory risk in the field of utilities, notably telecommunications. Intellectual property protection is good and improving. German accounting practices have been replaced by international accounting standards for listed companies. The Bundeskartellamt, which oversees the application of competition rules, has a well established reputation for being impartial. However, it can be over-ruled by the economics minister if national interests are considered to be at stake. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Germany has excellent infrastructure, which is well integrated into European networks. The transport networks are of a very high standard, so that disruption due to operational problems is rare. However, maintenance investment and new infrastructure projects have been scaled back due to fiscal constraints. In addition, roads are increasingly congested. Civil aviation has been liberalised and is well developed and the cost of flying has come down substantially. Retail and distribution networks are of high quality. The quality of infrastructure in former East Germany is still improving thanks to major public investment. The risk of energy shortages in the short and medium term, either resulting from the phase-out of nuclear power or from political problems with major foreign suppliers, is low. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While having an excellent, well-trained workforce with a world-class vocational training programme for manufacturing, Germany has rigid labour market regulations and high wages. The previous government of the SPD and the Greens has implemented several labour market reforms, which increase flexibility for temporary workers, reduce benefits for the unemployed and slightly ease restrictive employment protection legislation. Still, working practices and labour laws remain fairly restrictive. Further reforms envisaged in the coalition programme of the CDU/CSU coalition are timid, but a discussion about wage subsidies and minimum wages has intensified recently. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Germany has an independent judiciary and a fair legal system that is not open to political interference. Contracts can be enforced and the judicial system is reliable, albeit often slow. There is very little risk of expropriation, but there is some regulatory risk in the field of utilities, notably telecommunications. Intellectual property protection is good and improving. German accounting practices have been replaced by international accounting standards for listed companies. The Bundeskartellamt, which oversees the application of competition rules, has a well established reputation for being impartial. However, it can be over-ruled by the economics minister if national interests are considered to be at stake. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While having an excellent, well-trained workforce with a world-class vocational training programme for manufacturing, Germany has rigid labour market regulations and high wages. The previous government of the SPD and the Greens has implemented several labour market reforms, which increase flexibility for temporary workers, reduce benefits for the unemployed and slightly ease restrictive employment protection legislation. Still, working practices and labour laws remain fairly restrictive. Further reforms envisaged in the coalition programme of the CDU/CSU coalition are timid, but a discussion about wage subsidies and minimum wages has intensified recently. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Germany has excellent infrastructure, which is well integrated into European networks. The transport networks are of a very high standard, so that disruption due to operational problems is rare. However, maintenance investment and new infrastructure projects have been scaled back due to fiscal constraints. In addition, roads are increasingly congested. Civil aviation has been liberalised and is well developed and the cost of flying has come down substantially. Retail and distribution networks are of high quality. The quality of infrastructure in former East Germany is still improving thanks to major public investment. The risk of energy shortages in the short and medium term, either resulting from the phase-out of nuclear power or from political problems with major foreign suppliers, is low. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While having an excellent, well-trained workforce with a world-class vocational training programme for manufacturing, Germany has rigid labour market regulations and high wages. The previous government of the SPD and the Greens has implemented several labour market reforms, which increase flexibility for temporary workers, reduce benefits for the unemployed and slightly ease restrictive employment protection legislation. Still, working practices and labour laws remain fairly restrictive. Further reforms envisaged in the coalition programme of the CDU/CSU coalition are timid, but it is likely that additional moderate reforms will be put on the agenda during the term. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Germany has an independent judiciary and a fair legal system that is not open to political interference. Contracts can be enforced and the judicial system is reliable, albeit often slow. There is very little risk of expropriation, but there is some regulatory risk in the field of utilities, notably telecommunications. Intellectual property protection is good and improving. German accounting practices have been replaced by international accounting standards for listed companies. The Bundeskartellamt, which oversees the application of competition rules, has a well established reputation for being impartial. However, it can be over-ruled by the economics minister if national interests are considered to be at stake. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Germany has excellent infrastructure, which is well integrated into European networks. The transport networks are of a very high standard, so that disruption due to operational problems is rare. However, maintenance investment and new infrastructure projects have been scaled back due to fiscal constraints. In addition, roads are increasingly congested. Civil aviation has been liberalised and is well developed and the cost of flying has come down substantially. Retail and distribution networks are of high quality. The quality of infrastructure in former East Germany is still improving thanks to major public investment. The phasing out of nuclear power approved by the old SPD-Greens government will go ahead as planned, despite reservations of the CDU/CSU, but it is unlikely to lead to serious energy shortages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]