Almost every market around the world is shrinking at the moment, and so is the medical sector. According to the Federal Statistics Office in the first half of 2009 the German exports were down 2.5 percent, the largest market for exports still remains the United States. However the import market in Germany has managed to become stronger. The statisticians have recorded a 6 per cent gain in imports especially from the USA, Switzerland and Japan. Germany is therefore a highly competitive market in the global medical industry - the medical trade fair MEDICA in Duesseldorf has become the most important platform for manufacturers and customers.