Between consolidation and expansion

Over one thousand participants have attended the congress held by the German Retail Association in Berlin under the slogan „Between consolidation and expansion: new challenges for retail and industry”. Nearly 100 presentations have been held at the event. Frank Walter Steinmeier, minister of foreign affairs and vice president of the socialist democratic Party has also participated in the discussion. Josef Sanktjohanser, chairman of the German Retail Association called for a reduction in income tax to maintain purchasing power and spoke out against subsidies. Mr. Steinmeier emphasised that the government has no intention of increasing taxes or of cutting social spending, but did not agree with tax cuts.