Original technology pays off: That"s the core message of a new VDMA campaign presented at the opening of Hannover Messe. With the slogan "Choose the Original – Choose Success" the Federation and its members address potential customers in order to fight the counterfeiting industry and the violation of intellectual property rights.

Mechanical engineering is one of the research-intensive industries in Germany: it accounts for one tenth of the business sector's expenditure on research and development (R&D) and for 12 % of its R&D personnel. But the sole figures on R&D only give an inadequate picture of the innovative capacities of German mechanical engineering.

More and more unsafe products are flooding into the market. They not only contribute towards creating competitive distortions, but also endanger the safety of employees and consumers. The existing instruments and sanctions for market surveillance do not suffice. VDMA has accordingly drawn up a listing of demands designed to significantly improve market surveillance.