omaN GERmaN ExPoRTS oF maJoR commodITy GRoUPS 2006 To 2012 SITc 2 dIGITS IN mILLIoN EURoS SITC Description 2006 2008 2010 2012 Total 449 875 545 816 78 Road vehicles 113 167 108 168 71 Power generating machinery 10 15 29 122 74 General industrial machinery 34 64 58 70 33 Petroleum products 1 1 38 57 70 Complete industrial plant 62 3 2 46 72 Machinery specialized for particular industries 22 46 59 44 77 Electrical machinery 18 30 33 36 87 Professional scientific and controlling instruments 12 17 20 30 69 Manufactures of metals 7 13 19 29 67 Iron and steel 18 36 13 28 Source Eurostat The ongoing political crisis in Bahrain since 2011 also has a negative impact on the investment level This was sensed by the German machinery manufacturers whose exports to Bahrain shrank by 10 to 84 million Euros in 2012 The result for 2012 is different for the German car manufacturers who could increase their sales by 41 to 134 million Euros The main factor is the politically motivated consumption oriented expansive budget policy n FOCUSFOCUS robert espey has been the representative of Germany Trade Invest for the Middle East region since 2011 after postings in Syria Egypt Iran and the USA Germany Trade Invest is the foreign trade and inward investment agency of the Federal republic of Germany