The President of the Ifo Institute, Prof. Hans-Werner Sinn, has been awarded the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany, First Class, by the Federal President.

At a ceremony on 6 June 2005 under the dome of the Bavarian Staatskanzlei, Bavarian Minister-President Dr. Edmund Stoiber presented the awards, on behalf of the Federal President, to six other public figures besides Prof. Sinn and thanked them especially for having "taken on responsibility".

Hans-Werner Sinn has received many awards, including the Order of Merit on Ribbon in 1999.