Federation of Egyptian Chambers of commerce
Egypt was the first in the area to establish chamber of commerce system .
Alexandria chamber of commerce officially opened on 1919, the Cairo chamber of commerce on 1920, gradually one chamber of commerce established in each and every governorates of Egypt (now 26 chambers)
The recent law was assumed on 1951 (law no 189/51) to role the chamber of commerce system , this law was amended many times (latest 2002).
The Federation of Egyptian Chambers of Commerce was established on 1955 ,leading 26 chambers of commerce situated in all governorates of Egypt, which are working under the umbrella of the Federation
The Federation is coordinating with other business organization in Egypt such as
Federation of Egyptian Industries.
The Productive Cooperative Union.
Egyptian Businessmen Associations and Investors of the New Industrial Cities
Federation of Chambers of Tourism.
Federation of Egypt Banks
Many other Business Organizations
So the Federation Serves more than 3 Million Businessmen all over the country
in economic, trade, industries and services fields,
for the private sector, public sector And the SMEs in Egypt.
Membership in the chambers of commerce system in Egypt
Compulsory membership imposed by the chamber of commerce act no. 189/51.
Also the commercial registration law has stated "commercial registration cannot be obtained unless the membership in the concerned chamber of commerce is there"
Such compulsory membership was Confirmed as an important guarantee for the representation of the interests of the business community as whole, this global membership encourages commerce, industry & services of activity to pull together, irrespective of the sector or size of each company/ business or legal shape (all are obliged to join a chamber)
Governing Law (ACT.)
The law No. 189/51 and its revisions (chamber of commerce corporation law) is one of the Egyptian public laws
The Chambers and the Federation
are considered as public corporations and every business member has one vote in the assembly
Sources of Income:
The main source of income for the chambers is from the contributions of its members. (% 0.2 of the paid up capital (with min. L.E 24 and max. L.E 2000)
The Federation and Chamber’s role
The role & mission of the federation & chambers of commerce system in Egypt is promoting and developing the business & to defend the general interests of the traders, manufacturers & servicemen all over Egypt through 3 principles sector as following:
1- Foreign Sector
A- Investment
B- Foreign Trade
Import
Export
C- Foreign Relationship
Bilateral Relationship
Regional Organizations
International organizations
2- Internal Sector
3- Consumer protection
1- Foreign Sector
A- Investment
The Federation Is following the new strategies of the economic reforms in Egypt which aims to promote and increase the investment as one of the most important objective of the Egyptian economy to raise the investment either from abroad or home investment, direct or indirect also to provide foreign and Egyptian investors with the available chances in the new investment areas in Egypt and explain the new facilities , procedure and laws of the investment.
So the Federation has established general section of investors to serve both investment and investors .
Foreign Trade
Import
The Federation guides the Egyptian importers to organize the importation of the products and commodities in the right way and advising them through the general section of importers .
Export
The Federation moves on several pivots towards enhancing the Egyptian exports by study the markets, urge the businessmen to participate the Fairs and organize trade missions to abroad.
Also The Federation has established a general section of the exporters.
C- Foreign Relationship:
The objective is promoting and enhancing the relationship between the Egyptian chambers and the other foreign chambers and business organizations .
The Federation open large vistas for international and regional cooperation based on mutual interests .
So the Federation signed more than 50 agreements of cooperation with many chambers in the world, also more than 30 Joint Egyptian – Foreign sections, beside many joint Egyptian -Foreign chambers of commerce and Joint Business Councils.
The Federation is a member of many regional and international organizations for strengthening the economic and trade relationship as following
Bilateral Relations
The Federation signed a many protocols of joint Egyptian – Foreign Sections such as :
Joint Egyptian – Hungarian Section
Joint Egyptian – Turkish Section
……………,etc.
Also signed a many protocols of Joint Egyptian – Foreign Chambers of Commerce such as :
Egyptian – British Chamber of Commerce
………..,etc.
That is beside a lot of Joint Egyptian – Foreign councils such as :
Egyptian – Chinese Business Council
Egyptian – Iranian Business Council
Egyptian – Syrian Business Council
..………,etc.
Regional Organizations
The Federation is a part of the chambers of commerce and the other Organizations gathering such as:
-General Union of Chambers of Commerce Industries and Agriculture for Arab Countries , which is also included and established about 20 Joint Arab such as:
Arab – British Chamber of Commerce
Arab – Austrian Chamber of Commerce
Arab – Hellenic Chamber of Commerce & Development
………….,etc
Euro- Med TDS
Association of the Mediterranean Chamber of Commerce and Industry ( ASCAME)
Developing 8 Countries (D-8) Chambers of Commerce and Business Forum
Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) Business Forum .
– Foreign Chambers of Commerce and Industry
Islamic Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Regional Office for the Islamic Chamber will be opened recently in Cairo within The Federation )
G-15 Chambers of Commerce
Federation of G 77 Chambers of Commerce and Industry .
International organizations
Cooperate and Coordinate with many UN Organization:
(UNDP)- (UNIDO )- (UNCTAD)….etc. in many programs and projects
International Chamber of Commerce – Paris (ICC) through the Egyptian Committee of ICC – Paris .
Internal Sector
This sector plays a great role that is providing the researches and studies about the local market to the Egyptian businessmen through many general sections such as:
- Egyptian General Section of Gold & Jewelry
- Egyptian General Section of Building Material
- Egyptian General Section of Grocery
- Egyptian General Section of Car Traders
- Egyptian General Section of Real Estate investment
- Egyptian General Section of Ready Made Clothing
- Egyptian General Section of Bakeries
- Egyptian General Section of House Appliance and Holds ………….etc
Consumer protection
The most important target for the Federation Concerning the internal trade , is the consumer protection. So the Federation has been achieved many procedures to reach the hopes objectives of this frame such as:
Collecting the complains of the consumers and discuss it with the Ministry of Internal Trade and other concerned bodies.
Joining the permanent council of consumer’s protection.
-Preparing the monthly report about the goods and products of the Egyptian markets for quality, price , consumer acceptance and the strategic supply.
Change the concepts of the consumer about some of the products on the right way.
Accordingly the Federation executes this plans and policies through:
-National and international economic studies.
- Conducting researches on home trade and distribution aspects channels, contributing with public authorities and other concerned organization to study and solve related problems.
-Processing data on local and foreign trade.
- Exchange of view and information with concerned trade and economics national organization and authorities
-Promoting mutual trade relationship among Egypt and the other countries. through , many regional and international organizations and chambers
- Organize trade missions to the other countries to increase the foreign trade value, also receiving the foreign delegations to Egypt.
- Participating in the internal and external Fairs.
