Short history reference and activity report of

Sofia Chamber of Commerce and Industry

(SCCI)

A group of traders from Plovdiv City proposed in Nov 28^th 1888 to the members of parliament to follow the example of the western European countries and establish chambers in Bulgaria. The traders from Rousse city set up two years later in 1890 the first Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Bulgaria. An Act of the chambers of commerce and industry was adopted in 1894 following the above and four chambers were established all at once in 1895 in the cities of Varna, Plovdiv, Rousse and Sofia. The Sofia Chamber of Commerce and Industry existed till 1943 when the law established the Supreme Industry Chamber (SIC) which associated the regional industry chambers including the SCCI, the associations of the factory-owners, those of the traders, craftsmen, farmers, bankers and insurers. SIC was closed later in 1948 including SCCI. Their activity had been restored only four years later in 1952 by the establishing of the Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce (BCC). New centralized chamber started without regional structures and branch organizations. This was natural for the period of strongly centralized and planned economy.

An initiative committee of the representatives from 4 regional and 4 branch chambers discussed in Nov 15^th 2004 the idea to reform the Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry. One of the targets of this reform was to restore the activity of Sofia Chamber and to join it with the rest of regional chambers in the country. 9 regional and 17 branch chambers backed later in Nov 25^th 2004 the reformation idea and established the Bulgarian Chamber Association. In addition to the establishing of the Sofia Chamber they supported also the idea to transform the BCCI into an association of 29 regional and same number of branch chambers.

SCCI was established in Feb 16^th 2005 in hotel Kempinski in Sofia restoring the activity of Sofia Chamber of Commerce and Industry and continuing the 110-year tradition; opportunity is given to the companies in Sofia to have own chamber in their service; to protect their interest and work together with the Sofia municipality in the development of its economy and creating of better business environment as in the rest of European countries.

34 companies from Sofia took part into the establishing. The Chairman of SDS (democratic powers union) Mrs. Nadejda Mihailova, the Chairman of BZNS-NS (Bulgarian farmers national union) Mrs. Anastasia Mozer, the Chairman of Rousse Chamber of Commerce and Industry Mr. Ivan Cherkezov greeted in writing the founders.

9-members Board of Managers (BM) with Chairman Mr. Georgi Chernev was elected. The BM of the Chamber gathers once weekly and informs the members of its decisions by e-mailing the Minutes.

The BM follows the vision of the Chamber activity and the posed targets and tasks. The permanent dialogue with the parliamentary represented political parties is among the most important ways of protection of the members’ interest. In such connection the BM met with the leadership of SDS, SSD, BZNS-NS to whom it presented own economic program.

Sofia Chamber signed in Apr 2005 a treaty for mutual assistance with Warsaw Chamber. Treaties with other capital cities chambers are in preparation.

In occasion of the signing in Apr 27^th 2005 of the treaty of Bulgarian integration into EU the BM adopted and sent to the Bulgarian President, the Chairman of the Parliament and the Premier a declaration of support and also of concern about the lack of information of the undertaken engagements in every branch and also about the necessity of regional business consolidation in order to plan its partnership with the state and the municipalities in the mastering of the structure funds.