BERLIN (Reuters) - German Chancellor Angela Merkel, currently trying to form a new coalition government after September s election, said on Wednesday Germany needed to keep non-wage costs below 40 percent and stressed the importance of budget consolidation. Speaking in a video message played at an employers  conference in Berlin, Merkel said it  remains important to keep non-wage costs under the 40 percent mark . Merkel, who is expected to start coalition talks with the Social Democrats (SPD) after attempts to form an awkward three-way alliance with the liberals and Greens failed, said that during the upcoming talks with the SPD she would emphasize that Germany needed to stick to its course of growth-friendly investment and budget consolidation. 