Athens Chamber of Commerce & Industry

The Athens Chamber of Commerce & Industry started operating in 1919 and since then, it has demonstrated multiple achievements within Greek economy and society.

According to the present framework law, the Athens CCI (a legal entity) is "a compulsory, autonomous and independent union of physical and legal entities that exercise a commercial activity", within an important part of the wider region of the capital.

As far as the legitimacy of the Athens CCI actions are concerned, it is supervised by the Ministry of Development within the framework of its given autonomy.

The members of the Athens CCI amount to 80.000 enterprises, which every four years elect the 61 members of the Board of Directors.

The A.C.C.I is an essential advisor of government on trade, industry and general economic policy issues, while it plays an important role as a link between the state and enterprises.

The activities of the Athens CCI include those concerning its consultative and advisory role (issuance of public positions, submission of completed proposals, participation in a great number of committees etc.) and those ensuring the reliable updated information of the business world (registry of member-enterprises, linkage with various databanks, European Information Center, organization of information days, issuance of a great number of publications etc.) in line with its administrative services (certificates of origin, investigations and sampling, ATA Carnets, commercial representatives' licenses, resolution of commercial disputes).

Moreover, the Athens CCI is a member of Eurocommerce and of the Association of Major European Chambers of Industry & Commerce which comprises the CCIs of Athens, Milan, Madrid, Paris, Amsterdam and Frankfurt. Also, it has joined EBR (a network for cooperation among European enterprises) and organizes different training and information seminars.

The ACCI follows up and participates in, EU and national programs and provides SMEs with customized information.

As far as international trade transactions are concerned, the Athens Chamber of Commerce and Industry organizes trade missions to foreign countries, welcomes respective missions, operates a great number of bilateral relations sections, gathers information for many countries, issues special leaflets etc.

In addition, the Athens CCI operates an office that provides (free of charge) specific consultancy on taxation issues, company law, insurance, labor law as well as trade transactions issues.

Every year the Chamber grants special awards to High School and University students for writing a composition and a project respectively on a subject concerning private enterprises.

It has also established awards for enterprises that are active in a number of business activities rewarding and encouraging the business world in pursuing their difficult tasks in a continuously developing environment.

In the field of publications, as well as in the field of library organization, the Athens CCI has shown substantial work, which aims at the provision of its members, and any other interested party, with better and complete information.