IHK demands 2026: Now energy costs must come down and investments finally arrive

The Chamber of Industry and Commerce of East Westphalia in Bielefeld (IHK) links the turn of the year 2025/2026 with an economic policy appeal: For 2026, what is needed above all are noticeably lower energy costs, a modernization of the state and administration, as well as tax incentives that make investments easier.

From the Chamber's point of view, what matters less is another package of announcements than the effective implementation of already named instruments – such as the "Investment and Growth Booster" and the "Construction Turbo".

Three levers are at the center for the IHK

In terms of content, the IHK bundles its expectations into three levers. First: Lower energy costs. Second: Modernize the state and administration. Third: Set investment incentives – especially through tax impulses that relieve companies in financing and planning projects.

The direction is designed as an overall package. From the Chamber's perspective, competitiveness and willingness to invest do not depend on a single adjustment screw, but on an interplay of costs, speed, and reliability: If energy remains expensive, approvals take a long time, and rules change frequently, even a company that is fundamentally willing to invest becomes more hesitant – or postpones projects.

The IHK became more concrete as early as the beginning of December 2025 at the annual reception: There, it explicitly linked the demand for relief with lower grid fees and the planned industrial electricity price. At the same time, it made it clear that for companies, quick, plannable framework conditions are crucial – that is, rules that are not only announced but applicable in everyday life.

The focus is on implementation instead of new announcements

It is noticeable that the IHK does not narrow its appeal to new projects. Instead, it refers to instruments that are already politically on the table – including the "Investment and Growth Booster" and the "Construction Turbo". From the Chamber's point of view, the value of such programs is only decided in practice: Do they actually facilitate investments, do procedures move forward faster, do relief measures measurably reach the companies?

At the federal level, the term "Growth Booster" is linked to the investment offensive in the 2026 federal budget: The federal government includes key components under this, including the "Construction Turbo". For companies in East Westphalia, the label is less important than the effect on the ground – for example, whether construction and expansion projects are actually approved more quickly, whether tax relief frees up liquidity, and whether planning and investment risks decrease.

The demand for a modernization agenda for the state and administration is aimed in the same direction. What is meant is not abstract reform rhetoric, but a state that functions reliably in economically relevant procedures: with more digital processes, clear responsibilities, and approval processes that become predictable. That this debate is being conducted nationwide is also shown by a position paper from the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs on the modernization agenda (October 2024), which describes simplification of rules, reliability in planning, and investment promotion as central levers. For the regional economy, this would be particularly noticeable where time becomes money – for example, in factory conversions, new locations, grid connections, or the switch to new energy sources.

The IHK sees itself as the voice of the regional economy

The IHK Ostwestfalen zu Bielefeld, as a public law corporation, is the representative body and self-administration institution of the commercial economy in the region. According to its own information, it supports around 115,000 companies. Against this background, its New Year's appeal can also be read as a signal from the breadth of the regional corporate landscape – from industry to trade to services.

The fact that the demands do not stand in isolation is shown by the IHK's spring economic survey 2026: There, the Chamber reported the first signs of stabilization; the business climate indicator was above the 100-point mark (105) for the first time in four years. The basis was responses from 1,720 companies (survey period mid-January to mid-February 2026). The feedback again mentions the topics that the IHK also emphasizes at the turn of the year: competitive labor and energy costs, reduction of bureaucracy, faster approvals, and reliable framework conditions – not as a wish list, but as conditions under which investments become more likely.

The IHK's core message is thus clear: For 2026, from its point of view, it is less about further political promises than about tangible relief and implementation that reaches everyday business life. Whether this succeeds will be a key test for investments – and thus for growth and employment in East Westphalia.