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Erfurt (dpa) - Thuringia's Minister of Economic Affairs Wolfgang Tiefensee (SPD) has brought temporary export restrictions into play in the fight against raw material shortages in the EU.
"With wood, plastics, building materials, but also steel, I get more and more calls for help from the craft, but also from the automotive industry because of delivery bottlenecks and soaring prices," said Tiefensee on Sunday.
He wanted to address the problem at the next conference of economics ministers.
Tiefensee pleaded for a rapid expansion of steel and plastics production, sawmill capacities and for the development of recycling or alternative raw materials.
Temporary export restrictions by the EU are also conceivable as a last resort.
"If important raw materials are needed here, then we have to make sure that they are also available here."
Tiefensee sees jobs and the rapid economic upswing after the Corona crisis at risk due to the scarcity of raw materials - especially in medium-sized companies.
The SPD politician announced that he would also send a letter to Federal Economics Minister Peter Altmaier (CDU).
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Tiefensee identified reduced production and transport capacities worldwide as a result of the corona crisis as the main reasons for the scarcity of raw materials.
There is also increased demand from China and the USA.
"The skyrocketing demand in the USA with significantly higher margins for producers at the same time are causing exports to grow excessively and sweeping the European market empty," said Tiefensee.
In addition, wood, steel and plastic producers would not have foreseen the rapid recovery of the global economy and could not keep pace with demand.
© dpa-infocom, dpa: 210509-99-527957 / 2