Comparing Craft entertprises: European Experiences for Networking – Firenze 28/4/2006

1. Comparing Craft entertprises: European Experiences for Networking – Firenze 28/4/2006 Erzsébet GYÚRÓ Head of Intl. Dept and EIDC of Budapest CCI BCCI Presentation

2. Short history of the Hungarian Economic Chambers • In 1850 a royal charter ordered the establishment of chambers of commerce and industry • After the political and economic changes, at the beginning of the ’90s a legislative process was started and resulted in the Act on Chambers • In 1994 a new Act on Chamber (Public Law chamber on the base on Austrian and German law) was passed • In the year of 2000 mandatory chamber membership was abolished, further Chamber of Crafts and Artisans was fusioned with Chamber of Commerce and Industry BCCI Presentation

3. Main Decision Making Bodies of Hungarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry • General Assemblyis the supreme organisation of the Chamber consisting of delegates elected by the regional chambers of commerce and industry, number of Delegates: 231 • Tasks: creating and amending the statutes and other self-government stipulation, as well as the code of ehics, in addition to the approval of the budget an the election of officals and members of the bodies. • Presidium is a body consisting of 36 elected members. • Function: to supervise the Chambers’s activities in the periode between the General Assemblies. BCCI Presentation

4. Hungarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry • „umbrella” organisation • 16 Professional Committe and • 10 Bilateral Committes for Foreign Relation are helping the continous work BCCI Presentation

5. Network of the Hungarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry • 20 chambers in county capitals and in the capital city • 3 city chambers • More than 90 chambers offices comprise a strong national network • Appr. altogether 500 chamber employees in the service of companies BCCI Presentation

6. Membership, economic importance of the Chamber • Appr. 45 000 member companies • Members produce 2/3 of the Hungarian GDP • Our companies represent 95 % of the Hungarian export • Nevertheless 97% of the membership are SME’s (99,9 % is the Hungarian average) BCCI Presentation

7. Functions of the Chamber • Public law role: self-governance, certificates (cert.of origin, ATA) • Representative role: interprets a general representation of the economy, makes opinions on laws and regulation affecting entrepreneurs, performs interest representation tasks at local level, as well. • Service role: sector specific information booklets, information sessions, trainings, EURO Information Centres in 6 chamber offices, Counselling on EU funds and application forms, setting up quality standards for tender advisors, pool of qualified advisors, Széchenyi Credit Card system – financial support SME-s BCCI Presentation

8. Széchenyi Card • The only really successful SME program • A program spanning over governmetal cycles • Credit for current assets • Interest support + credit guarantee • Chambers + VOSZ+ commercial banks • Very low operational costs • 40 thousand clients BCCI Presentation

9. Internationalisation of Companies • Matchmaking, partner finding • Organisation of businessmen meetings • Transfer of business offers, business information • Organisation of conferences on foreign economic issues • Issuing trade documents like Certificate of Origin, ATA Carnet • Internet portal, newsletters BCCI Presentation

10. Participation in Vocational Training • Chamber elaborates the curriculum and examination requirements for the training of 16 professions – affects 40 % of the total number of apprentices, all together 25 trousand pupils • 5 group of professions: catering, textile industry, leather industry, construction industry, hairdressing, cosmetics • Definition of the quality requirements for the exams on master level, setting up examinations board • Mediating between apprentices, schools and workshops BCCI Presentation

11. SME development, Strengthening Competitiveness • Counselling and trainings regarding entreperenurial skills • Company management issues (taxation, legal issues, book-keeping etc.) • Information and advice on available financial resources, credits, EU-funds BCCI Presentation

12. Issues on the Agenda of Lobbying • Problems in the field of Vocational Training • Falling Competitiveness • Relative decline in FDI inflow • In appropriate tools and methods in the field of trade promotion • Growing foreign trade deficit • Risks of the current rate of exchange and basic interes rate • Dangers of dual economy, situation of SME-s • Cheaper public administration, smaller state • High taxes – dispute by the planning of the state budget • Retaining VAT – warning • Dangers of non discharging debts on a wide scale • Genuitiy of the tax reform BCCI Presentation

13. Foundation and tasks of Budapest Chamber of Commerce and Industry • BCCI was founded in 1850 • Legal status: self-governing body • Core competences: • promote commerce, industry and related economic sectors • initiates government measures and legislation, and contributes to their implementation. BCCI Presentation

14. Organizational structure Bodies • -Delegates’ Assembly • -Executive Board • -Supervisory Committee • -Ethic Committee Committees: • Economic Policy • Regional Development • International Relations and EU Integration • Vocational Education and Training • Finance and Budget BCCI Presentation

15. Members and Problems • Appr. 7500 members from micro entrepeneurs to multinational companies • Bcci’s members have • Different sizes • Different interests • Different problems to solve BCCI Presentation

16. Different branches – different interests – strategic question BCCI incorporates members from: • Industry: • Industry and Industrial Research, Planning, Services, Construction Industry, Research, Design and Services, Transport and Forwarding , Telecommunication, Information Technology, Public Utilities, Public Services) • Trade: • Trading, Trade Services, Retail, Catering, Tourism, Hotel and Accommodation Services, Bank, Insurance and General Financial Services, • Services for Supporting Business Activities (e.g. training, media, translators) • Handicrafts: • Construction, Timber, Electrics, Iron, metal, automotive industry, Food, Health, other Services, Garment, Textile, Leather and Other Professions) BCCI Presentation

17. Services of BCCI • Certificate of origin, ATA carnet • Completion of trade documents • Foreign trade consultancy • Library, Internet access • Address and ContactLists • Trade Missions, exhibitions • Organization of business meetings • Professional training, teaching • Master’s examination • Settlement of disputes out of suit • Consultancy in finance, grant applications and tendering BCCI Presentation

18. Services for Crafts and Artisans I. EVENTS in April 2006 • Visit in Trade Show LIGHT & BUILDING 2006, for electricians • How to deal with covering activity in Wood Manufacturers Industry, new trends • Jury for Artisans • Professional Day for Cleaning companies + Master of Ceaning exam • Professional Day and meeting for Section of Cloth-, Textil-, Leather BCCI Presentation

19. Services for Crafts and Artisans II. Regular advices on: • Taxation, accountancy • Social contribution • Laws, regulations • Széchenyi-card, financial support • Master exam • Enterprise fundation, start-up BCCI Presentation

20. EU-Office of BCCI Main roles: • Targeted knowledge base for members and universities, research centers, public bodies • offer access to EU-databases and CD-ROM‘ • collect all kind of relevant information so as to help companies in the integration • Services: • EU leaflets, documents • Library, consulting • Seminars, workshops BCCI Presentation

21. EU-funds for Crafts and Artisans • In the framework of National Development Plan (GVOP, HEFOP, AVOP, ROP, KIOP) • MAP, CIP, FP7 and other direct grants from Brussel BCCI Presentation

22. Best practices - Summary • Internationalisation – events, meetings • Web-pages http://www.bkik.hu http://www.kezmuvesportal.hu • Széchenyi Credit Card • Jury activity • EU-funds and grants BCCI Presentation

23. Many thanks for the attention! BCCI Presentation