The Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (, ), abbreviated BMWK (was BMWi), is a cabinet-level ministry of the Federal Republic of Germany. It was previously known as the "Ministry of Economy". It was recreated in 2005 as "Ministry of Economics and Technology" after it had previously been merged with other ministries to form the Federal Ministry for Economics and Labour between 2002 and 2005. The ministry is advised by the Council of Advisors on Digital Economy.
History
The historical predecessor of the current Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action was the Reichswirtschaftsamt (Reich Economic Office), founded in 1917. In 1919, this became the Reichswirtschaftsministerium (Reich Ministry of Economy), which existed until 1945.
In postwar occupied Germany, its functions were exercised by the Administrative Office of Economy () between 1946 and 1949. After the founding of the Federal Republic of Germany, the Federal Ministry of Economics () existed from 1949 to 1998. From May 1971 to December 1972, it was temporarily merged with the Federal Ministry of Finance, in the Federal Ministry of Economics and Finance. In 1998 the technology section of the Ministry of Research was added, making it the Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology.
Between 2002 and 2005, it was merged with the Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology and one part of the Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs - the other part being merged with the old Federal Ministry for Health, then the Ministry of Health and Social Security. This transformations aimed to consolidate the policy-fields of economics and labour market, on which the second term of chancellor Gerhard Schröder wanted to focus, into one hand. Because the new Ministry was very large and important, it was often referred to as a super-ministry (Superministerium) and its minister as a super-minister (Superminister). The creation of the new Ministry was widely seen as failed, basically because of the poor performance of the only office-holder Wolfgang Clement.
Under the following grand coalition headed by Angela Merkel, the portfolio reshuffle was reversed, and the old Federal Ministries of Economics and Technology, of Labour and Social Affairs and of Health were created once again as Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology. It was renamed to Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy in 2013. In order of the Federal Republic of Germany the Ministry has published a fact sheet on the unique dual vocational training system.
Structure
The Ministry is organised into 10 departments and one central department. Central Administration – Z European Policy – E Economic Policy – I Economic Stabilisation and Energy Security – WE Climate Action – K Energy Policy: Heating and Efficiency – II Energy Policy: Electricity and Grid – III Industrial Policy – IV External Economic Policy – V Digital and Innovation Policy – VI SME Policy - VII
The ministry is headquartered in Berlin.
Agencies
In addition to its own operations, the Ministry also oversees the following agencies: Federal Cartel Office Federal Network Agency Federal Office of Economics and Export Control Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources German National Metrology Institute
Ministers and Secretaries of State
Ministers
Political Party:
Secretaries
Ministry for Economy (1949–1998) Parliamentary State Secretaries 1967–1970: Klaus Dieter Arndt, SPD 1970–1971: Philip Rosenthal, SPD 1972: Rainer Offergeld, SPD 1972–1987: Martin Grüner, FDP/DVP 1983–1987: Rudolf Sprung, CDU 1987–1989: Ludolf-Georg von Wartenberg, CDU 1987–1993: Erich Riedl, CSU 1989–1992: Klaus Beckmann, FDP 1992–1998: Heinrich Leonhard Kolb, FDP 1993–1994: Reinhard Göhner, CDU 1994–1997: Norbert Lammert, CDU
State Secretaries
1949–1951: Eduard Schalfejew
1951–1963: Ludger Westrick, no party
1958–1963: Alfred Müller-Armack, CDU
1963–1966: Wolfram Langer
1963–1968: Fritz Neef
1967–1972: Johann Baptist Schöllhorn
1968–1969: Klaus von Dohnanyi, SPD
1969–1978: Detlev Karsten Rohwedder, SPD
1972: Ernst Wolf Mommsen
1973–1991: Otto Schlecht
1979–1995: Dieter von Würzen
1991–1994: Johann Eekhoff
1994–1997: Johannes Ludewig
1995–1998: Lorenz Schomerus
1997–1998: Rudi Geil, CDU
1997–1998: Klaus Bünger
Ministry for Economics and Technology (1998–2002) Parliamentary State Secretaries 1998–2002: Siegmar Mosdorf, SPD