Finance Ministry Cracks Down on Illegal Work

The German government has approved Finance Minister Hans Eichel's plans for combating illegal work in the commercial sector. Barbara Henricks, Minister of State at the Finance Ministry, said the focus of the campaign would be the construction industry, where sometimes "Mafia-like structures" prevailed. She said other problem areas were the catering trade, taxi and car rental services, as well as cleaning companies and amusement arcades. Experts estimate that "moonlighting" meanwhile amounts to as much as 17 per cent of the country's Gross Domestic Product and has a volume of some 370 billion euros.