The Challenge of Globalization and the Response of Politics

I would like to thank you for inviting me, and welcome you all warmly to Munich. In addressing globalization, the Max-Planck-Institute for Intellectual Property, Competition and Tax Law is addressing an issue which has accompanied us for a while yet still remains topical. The object of the conference, to discuss the various facets of the complex process of globalization, is well chosen. Owing to its substantial interdisciplinary competence, the Max Planck Society is the right institution to tackle this difficult issue. Hence the Max Planck Society again rises to the challenge of acting as a significant stimulus for the economy, academia and politics alike. I welcome the opportunity to come here today and contribute to this major conference. I will present the response of Bavarian politics to the challenges of globalization. Bavaria, as part of the Federal Republic of Germany, is of course embedded in national politics. However, we do have considerable scope for manoeuvre in several important political areas.