Chamber of commerce

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A Chamber of Commerce (also referred to in some circles as a Board of Trade, though this phrase is not commonly used in the United States) is a form of business network. The primary goal of a chamber is to improve the business climate in a locality, typically through business networking, lobbying, and common projects and a selection of business services.

The chambers do not operate in the same manner the Better Business Bureau in that, while the BBB has the authority to bind its members under a formal operations doctrine (and, thus, can remove them if complaints arise regarding their services), the local chamber membership is strictly voluntary.

Chambers of commerce can also include economic development corporations or groups (though the latter is often a formal branch of a local government, the groups work together and may in some cases share office facilities) as well as tourism and visitors bureaus.

Some chambers have joined state, national, and even international bodies (such as the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) and Worldchambers). In the majority of countries, the use of the term "chamber of commerce" is regulated by federal law. Currently, there are about 13,000 Chambers registered in the official Worldchambers Network registry, and the Chamber of Commerce network is the largest business network globally.

1 Chamber Models
- 1.1 Compulsory/Public Law Chambers
- 1.2 Continental/Private Law Chambers
2 External links

[edit] Chamber Models

There are basically two Chamber business membership models worldwide, 'compulsory / public law' or 'continental / private law'.

[edit] Compulsory/Public Law Chambers

Under the compulsory or public law model, companies of a certain area are obliged to become members of the chamber. This model is common in European Union countries (France, Germany, Italy, Spain). The main tasks of the Chamber are Foreign Trade Promotion, Training and General Services to companies. The Chambers also have a consultive function; this means that the Chambers must be consulted whenever a new law related to industry or commerce is proposed.

[edit] Continental/Private Law Chambers

Under the private model, which exists in English-speaking countries like USA, Canada or the UK, companies are not obligated to become Chamber members. However, companies often become members to develop their business contacts and, regarding the local Chambers (the most common level of organization), to demonstrate a commitment to the local economy. Though governments are not required to consult chambers on proposed laws, the Chambers are often contacted given their local influence and membership numbers.

The first Chambers of Commerce were founded in 1599 in continental Europe (Marseille, France and Brugge, Belgium). The worlds oldest English-speaking Chamber of Commerce is that of Glasgow Scotland set up in 1783.

Membership in an individual Chamber in an area can range from a few dozen to well over 300,000 (as is the case with the Paris Chamber of Commerce and Industry). Some Chamber organizations in China report even larger membership numbers. Businesses which belong to a chamber of commerce can range from a single-person shop to billion-dollar corporations.