Romanian Chamber of Commerce and Industry in relation with the International Chamber of Commerce

Romanian Chamber of Commerce and Industry Bucharest

The Arbitration Commercial Court

The CCIR versus The ICC

Romanian Chamber of Commerce and Industry Bucharest

The Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Romania (CCIR) is the strongest business environment association in Romania, bringing together the whole network of 42 territorial chambers of commerce and industry, as well as others bilateral chambers of commerce, some branch professional associations and companies.

The Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Romania is the most powerful association representing the Romanian business environment that holds together bilateral chambers of commerce, business associations and the entire network of 42 territorial chambers of commerce and industry. 

The CCIR is a non-governmental selfsustaining organization which supports the business communitys interests and mostly of its members in the dialogue with the national authorities and international organizations.

The CCIR acts to create a steady coherent business environment favorable to the development of the private sector in Romania, as well as to create a real market economy open towards the foreign markets and companies.  Chamber membership is not only about being associated with us, its about using your membership to grow your business. We offer more value for less money, meaning you are delivered personalized and profitable products and services at great discounts or even free of charge.

CCIR's services are offered to both its Romanian member and non-member firms, and also to foreign companies that develop business relations in Romania. Our members enjoy special conditions, such as free services and great discounts of tariffs.

CCIR is supporting the business community also by providing business services such as: organizing economic missions, training programs, seminars or debates, providing valuable information from its databases and detecting business opportunities.

In the context of the Romanias integration in the European structures, the National Chamber has begun a campaign of preparing the business environment for adopting the EU norms.
Collaborating with the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Romania, can be a benefit for any Romanian or foreign company who want to develop a business either on domestic or foreign markets, as well as to improve the skills of the staff or to get economical information from various sectors.

MISSION

The mission of The Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Romania is to ensure the prosperity of the Romanian business community towards a system based on economic progress, initiative, competitivity and company responsability.

The Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Romania works towards:

 Representing and supporting its members' interests in relation with the authorities
 Building a more friendly business environment
 Promoting economic and commercial relations
 Supporting the investment process in Romania
 Assisting its members in developing successful business
 Helping the Romanian companies to prepare for adopting the EU regulations

PARTNERSHIP and COOPERATION

International

One of the main priorities of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Romania (CCIR) is promoting the Romanian economy at an international level, by supporting both Romanian businesspersons in developing strong relationships with external partners, as well as foreign companies in placing their investments in the most attractive and dynamic sectors of activity.

The worldwide network of more than 170 similar organizations abroad and the bilateral co-operation bodies, in which CCIR takes part, enable CCIR to facilitate international business contacts. The Chamber develops a large international co-operation network and is a member of:

- ICC - International Chamber of Commerce
- Eurochambres - European Association of Chambers of Commerce and Industry
- ABC - Association of Balkan Chambers of Commerce and Industry
- Euro Info Network, through Euro Info Centre Bucharest
- BSEC-BC - The Black Sea Economic Cooperation

National

CCIR is the most representative business association in Romania, which holds together a strong network of 42 county chambers of commerce and industry, as well as bilateral chambers of commerce and industry and professional associations.
Acting as a single voice for over 50,000 Romanian companies, CCIR is the advocate and the defender of the business community's interests in front of important institutions, such as:

- Social and Economic Council
- Inter-ministerial Groups and Committees
- Export Council
- Consultative organisms for Parliament, Government and Presidency
- Alliance for Economic Development of Romania

The Arbitration Commercial Court Bucharest

 The Court of International Commercial Arbitration attached to the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Romania was created in 1953 for the settlement of foreign trade disputes.

Under the Decree Law No. 139 of 11 May 1990, the Arbitration Court was reorganised as a permanent non-corporate arbitration institution attached to the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Romania, for the administration of international and domestic arbitration.

The Court of International Commercial Arbitration acts attached to the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Romania. The Court is not a legal person. The general assembly of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Romania sets the organizing and functioning of the Court of International Commercial Arbitration. The Court is managed by a Board. The rules of procedure of the Court of International Commercial Arbitration shall be approved by its Board.

The decisions of the Arbitration Court are executory titles and shall be carried out in Romania without any executory nomination form. The norms regarding the arbitration fees and the arbitrators fees shall be approved by the Board of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Romania, as stipulated in the statute.

The arbitration fees are destined to cover the expenses incurred in settling the disputes, including secretariat activities, the arbitrators fees and documentary support in their activity, and other expenses required by the functioning of the Court.

Under its Regulations on the Organisation and Operation of the Court of International Commercial Arbitration attached to the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Romania, the Court provides the following services: arbitration, consultancy on procedures, studies and research in the field of arbitration, co-operation with the arbitration commissions within the system of Chambers of Commerce and Industry in Romania.
Arbitration for the settlement of international and domestic commercial disputes, its jurisdiction being based on the agreement concluded by businesses in their contracts or addendum sthereto;
Procedures consultancy is provided free of charge by the specialists of the Arbitration Court at its offices, by phone or post;
International co-operation with similar institutions and organisations from other countries, for the purpose of establishing and developing collaboration. Participation in and organising of international conferences, meetings, forums and seminars;
Study and research of the international arbitration legislation and of the law applicable to the disputes;
Co-operation with the Arbitration Commissions within the system of Chambers of Commerce and Industry in Romania in promoting arbitration and in case law.

COMMERCIAL ARBITRATION

According to its Rules of Arbitration, the Court settles, in accordance with the law or ex aequo et bono, disputes pertaining to international business, under the arbitration agreement concluded by the parties to the contract. The Arbitration Court also settles domestic commercial disputes.

Standard Arbitration Clause of the Court of International Commercial Arbitration attached to the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Romania:

'Any dispute arising from or in relation to this contract, including the conclusion, performance or termination thereof shall be settled through the arbitration of the Court of International Commercial Arbitration attached to the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Romania and Bucharest according to its Rules of Arbitration. The arbitral award shall be final and binding.'

'Orice litigiu decurgand din sau in legatura cu acest contract, inclusiv referitor la incheierea, executarea ori desfiintarea lui, se va solutiona prin arbitrajul Curtii de Arbitraj Comercial International de pe langa Camera de Comert si Industrie a Romaniei in conformitate cu Regulile de procedura arbitrala ale acestei Curti. Hotararea arbitrala este definitiva si obligatorie.'

Parties may also stipulate in their arbitration clause the number of arbitrators and the place of arbitration. In international arbitration, parties may also stipulate the language used during the hearings and in the documents submitted, and also the substantive law applicable to the dispute. 

Resolution of disputes by the Court has the following advantages:

awards are final and binding for the parties; they enjoy a wide international recognition as Romania, alongside over 100 countries, signed the 1958 United Nations Convention on the Recognition and Enforcement of Foreign Arbitral Awards;

arbitrators' expertise - the Court's arbitrators are experienced specialists in law and international economic relations;

confidentiality - the hearings are not public; access to information on the disputes at the Arbitration Court is allowed only with the parties' consent;

celerity - proceedings are carried out within twelve months in international arbitration and six months in domestic arbitration;

low costs arbitration fees are calculated as percentages - decreasing after reaching threshold values - of the monetary amount of the claim, as provided by the Schedules of Arbitral Fees and Expenses; moreover, in domestic arbitration, fees include also the arbitrators' fees.

The Arbitration Court enlists approximately 47 Romanian arbitrators included on a List of Arbitrators and maintains a List of Foreign Arbitrators, comprising 43 specialists.

Main objective

The main objectives of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Romania and Bucharest, both at the national level and territorial level, are to promote Romanian trade, industries, agriculture and services, both at home and abroad, and to represent and defend the interests of the Romanian economic operators before the domestic authorities and in their relations with specialised organizations.

Members

Members of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Romania and Bucharest are traders, natural persons and legal entities, that accept the Articles of Association of the Chamber, as well as county and bilateral chambers of commerce and industry, occupational associations and employers? organizations.
There are more than 7,500 members -individual and group members- all over the country, from which 95 % are represented by the SMEs.

Membership of the Chamber

The Chamber is member of International Chamber of Commerce, Eurochambres and the Association of the Chambers of Commerce of G-77 Countries, Association of Balkan Chambers of Commerce, Association of Chambers of Commerce in the Black Sea Region, and of the conference of Chambers of Commerce of the Central Europe Initiative Countries.

Main services offered to business community:

• Assistance for business start-up
• Business consultancy
• Promotion of business contacts through:
• bilateral and multilateral partnerships
• organization of fairs, exhibitions and commercial events at home and abroad
• the International Investment Fair, an initiative of the Chamber at its 3rd edition in 1999, to promote foreign investments in Romania
• organization of business missions abroad and in Romania for Romanian and, respectively, foreign businessmen
• advertising and other promotional methods
• Assistance for SMEs in implementation of the marketing and export promotion programmes funded by UE
• Assistance in developing an ecological and consumer protection environment
• Providing legal and business information through the Internet national systems RECOM and SINFOCAM (created and developed by CCIRB in collaboration with regional and global networks, such as: World Chambers Net, BRE, Dun and Bradstreet, ABC Network etc.)
• Basic information and co-operation for local development
• Expert assistance in trade law and arbitration for settlement of commercial disputes
• Training and further training of the Romanian businessmen

Euro Info Centre as a specialized department of the Chamber of Commerce

Since June 1995, when Euro Info Centre Bucharest was set up by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Romania with the support of PHARE Programme and of the Belgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, a direct link for exchange of information was created with Euro Info Centre housed by the Brussels Chamber of Commerce and Industry. In the long run, the Romanian centre developed the specific activities aimed to disseminate European information for Romanian SMEs, to help them in approaching the single market and to participate in the exchange of information within the European network.
The main activities, as defined by the European Commission procedures and by the statute of the European network, consist in informing, assisting and accompanying Romanian companies on the European single market. Many European projects were implemented by EIC Bucharest aimed to raise awareness on European matters and to promote the business partnership at European level.

BECOME A MEMBER OF CCIR

Based on a voluntary membership affiliation, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Romania has several categories of members:
1. Individual members:
 National or multinational companies, joint ventures, public corporations located in Romania, in the field of trade, industry, agriculture, services
2. Collective members:
 County chambers of commerce, Industry, navigation and agriculture from Romania
 Bilateral chambers of commerce and Industry
Associations of employers organized on branch and branch subdivision, field of activity
 Professional associations
 Nongovernmental organizations related to business community
Honorary members
 Scientists
 University professors
 Specialists and High professionals

In order to become a member of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Romania, one should fill in an application form and pay the registration fee.

MEMBERS BENEFITS

Chamber membership is not only about being associated with us, its about using your membership to grow your business. Here are some benefits of being a CCIR member:

Lobby and advocacy

CCIR take great pride in being the most representative business organization in Romania. Whether you own a company or just manage one, our statute is a guarantee that all your interests and needs are best represented in front of key governmental bodies.

Credibility

Being a CCIR member is the best business card in developing strong business relationships with your local and international partners, helping you gain their confidence and interest.

A global network membership

You can be part of the oldest and most respected worldwide business organization, the Chamber of Commerce, a brand that dates back from the 17th century.

Notoriety and prestige

Now you have the chance to make your company known to the market through active participation at the forums, conferences, seminars, workshops and professional debates organized by us.

Facilities

At CCIR, as our member, you enjoy a privileged statute. We offer more value for less money, meaning you are delivered personalized and profitable products and services at great discounts or even free of charge.

News and Information

Boost the success of your business by taking advantage of the latest information and news we provide. You stay on top with our written and electronic publications and you use the information that best suits your business profile.

Business opportunities

You can benefit from the newest business opportunities set by the matching program PARTINVEST as well as from the international economic missions we organize. Using our large database, our councilors can provide you detailed information on potential business partners and their business environment.

Trainings

We offer you a whole range of professional training courses and seminaries in order to compete on the European market and to meet the expectations of the accession process.

Complete marketing services

We can help you top identify the needs of a changing market, as we offer market research, analysis and pools made using direct questioning of the companies and business environment.

Quick settlement of commercial disputes

You have an alternative for settling the commercial disputes, which is characterized by flexibility, final or obligatory solution for parties: The International Arbitration Court that offers conciliation of disputes, commercial arbitration and procedure counseling.

RIGHTS AND DUTIES

According to our statute, as CCIR member you have the following rights and duties:

RIGHTS:

To take part into the general Assembly of the Chamber, to bring forward and debate upon matters related to commerce, industry and services, as well as to the Chamber's furtherance;
 To vote if you have been member for at least one year and paid the subscription;
 To elect and to be elected among the members of the Chamber's leading bodies if you have been member for at least two years and paid the subscription; 
 To benefit of Chamber's services, paying less than non-members;
 To inform the Chamber upon matters concerning the general interests of the merchants, with a view to protecting and promoting these interests;
 To attend lectures, conferences and other events organized by the Chamber, with view to the members' training and upgrading.

DUTIES:

To act according in respect with the stipulation of the Statute, as well as the decisions of the Chamber's leading bodies, and to contribute to the carrying out of the Chamber's purposes.
 To pay the annual subscription as established by the Generally Assembly of the Chamber.
 To carry out your activity in compliance with Romanian laws and the fair commercial practices, avoiding any disloyal competition.

The CCIR versus The ICC

On the 27th-29th of October, the capital of Romania hosted THE INTERNATIONAL INVESTMENT FORUM - an important event in the economic life of Romania and of other SEE countries. The Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Romania organized and hosted the event having as official partner the Romanian Agency for Foreign Investments and as partners the German Program for Economic and Labor Development in Romania, the American Chamber of Commerce in Romania, bilateral chambers of commerce and industry.
The event entitled ' The future of foreign direct investments - national or regional?' gave the guests - agencies of investment development and similar organizations from both countries with EU membership and south eastern countries - the opportunity to present the conditions they offer the potential investors in the areas of business in their countries.
The forum aimed at some main objectives as: giving the foreign investors a clear message about the continuous development of the Romanian business environment in the effort of meeting the European standards in the field, attracting foreign investments in Romania; the comparative description of central European countries as a potential target for national and regional investments; supporting the Romanian investment projects; supporting the online commerce and payment tools; the introduction of new technologies; drawing the attention of the business environment on intellectual property and copy right; supporting investment partnerships and business development; supporting certain economical areas with development potential; presenting the development opportunities offered by the Romanian real estate market .
The program included plenary sessions, round tables on subjects like the experience of central and SEE countries in drawing foreign investments as UE members; environment protection; intellectual property and consumers protection - national and European regulations, competition and state aid, sources of credit/finance. The forum introduced a very important practical element - networking - a business mission and visits to investment objectives in the Ialomita County.