The Chamber of Commerce is an official institution with special resources that supervises commercial and investment activity and was established to create an organized and unified body to represent private sector establishments, so it represents the link between traders and the authorities concerned with commercial and economic activity in order to solve the problems of trade, as well as follows up the conditions of goods offered in the markets and contributes to solving problems that hinder the availability of any commodity and so on.

Establishment of Chambers of Commerce and their historical development:

In 1880, a Chamber of Commerce was established in Alexandria but it was an English Chamber, and in 1884 the Italian Chamber was established, the French Chamber was established in 1892, the Greek Chamber in 1901, and the American Chamber in 1919, all of which were in Alexandria, which was the commercial capital of the state at the time. Establishment of Chambers of Commerce and their historical development:

The Egyptian Chamber of Commerce in Cairo was established in 1913, the system of chambers of commerce in Egypt was issued in the same year, and the Egyptian Chamber of Commerce was established in Alexandria in 1922, and the Cairo Chamber of Commerce stopped working the following year as a result of the conditions of the First World War, and then reconstituted in 1919 after the revolution of 1919.

The rules of procedure of the Egyptian Chambers were established in 1927, and in light of which the Chamber of Commerce was established in Port Said in 1928, the Assiut Chamber in 1933, and the Tanta Chamber in 1936.

On October 25, 1951, Law No. 189 was promulgated, which established the current Egyptian Chambers of Commerce, the resolutions of 1951 and the decisions implementing it, as well as Law No. 6 of 2002 .

Formation of Chambers of Commerce

Chambers of Commerce shall be established by a decision of the Minister of Commerce specifying the headquarters of the Chamber, its jurisdiction and the number of its members. This number may not be less than eight and not more than twenty-four.

The Minister of Economy and Commerce appoints half of the prescribed number of members for each chamber, and the second half is chosen by secret general election.

Members of Chambers of Commerce

In addition to the conditions to be met by the voter, the member of the Chamber of Commerce shall be required to:

- Not less than thirty years of age.

- To improve reading and writing.

- Has been engaged in work related to trade or industry for a period of five years, which is reduced to two years if he holds a qualification from a university or higher institute.

- To pay an annual tax on its commercial or industrial profits or taxes on real estate not less than a certain amount specified by law.

- To stand as a candidate for election and to deposit in the treasury of the province or directorate in whose district the seat of the Chamber is located a certain amount specified by law.

- He must not have been declared bankrupt or sentenced for a felony or misdemeanour of theft or concealment of stolen objects, fraud, breach of trust, treachery, bribery, bankruptcy, forgery, use of forged papers, fraud, imitation, false testimony or drug trafficking, as well as those convicted of attempting the said offences, unless they are rehabilitated.

- Membership of one room may not be combined with another.

- The Chamber may include associate members of not more than five if it deems their assistance to be of benefit to the Chamber. Their term of office shall be one year, renewable and they may attend the meetings of the Chamber if they so call for without having a counted opinion on the deliberations.

- The Chamber may appoint correspondent members in its areas of competence, the number of which shall not exceed the number of members of the Chamber, and they may attend the meetings of the Chamber if they so call for without having a numbered opinion on the deliberations..

- The term of office of a member of the Chamber of Commerce is four years, and a person whose term of office has expired may be re-elected or appointed.

If the place of the member of the Chamber of Commerce is vacant, the place of the one who has obtained in the last election the most votes after those who have been elected members of the Chamber shall be filled, and if this is not possible, the Chamber shall select from among the voters who meet the conditions for membership after the approval of the Minister of Commerce and Industry.

Room Meetings

The Chamber shall meet at least once a month, and its deliberations shall be valid only if more than half of the members attend the meeting, otherwise the meeting shall be postponed for at least two days and a maximum of eight days, and the decisions of the Chamber shall be issued by an absolute majority, and if the views are equal, the preponderance shall be given to the group from which the Chairman is located.

The deliberations of the Chamber shall be null and void and shall not be effective if they are outside the headquarters of the Chamber or if they exceed the limits of its competence, and the Minister of Commerce shall issue a decision to invalidate them within thirty days, otherwise the decisions of the Chamber shall be considered valid.

The Minister of Commerce and Industry of the Chamber shall appoint one or more delegates whose task is to observe the implementation of laws and regulations, and shall be invited to every meeting of the Chamber and shall not have a counted vote in the deliberations.

Ministries may appoint one or more delegates to attend the meetings of the Chambers when considering a matter concerning the ministries they represent, without having a counted voice in the deliberations.

Rights and duties of members

- Membership of one room may not be combined with another.

- A member of the Chamber may not participate in deliberations in which he has special interests for himself or a relative.

- A member of the Chamber may not personally or mediate the work of a contract, tender or supply whatsoever for the account of the Chamber, nor may he enter into a party with it in the sale, lease or borrowing.

- The Chamber may, if necessary and with the approval of the Minister of Commerce and Industry, deal with one of its members.

- Membership in the Chamber of Commerce is free of charge.

- The membership of anyone found to have abused power or tampered with the funds of the Chamber shall be revoked. He may not be elected until four years after the date of the decision to revoke his membership of the Chamber after the approval of the Minister of Commerce and Industry to consider any member who failed to attend three consecutive sessions to resign.

A committee shall be formed to decide definitively on the validity of the election of the members of the Chamber of Commerce, or on the revocation of membership from a member of the Chamber.

Rights to elect members of chambers

Every twenty-one-year-old Egyptian merchant who knows how to read and write and is registered in the Commercial Register has the right to elect the members of the Chamber in whose jurisdiction there is his main place, the first of which is a branch or agency, if he has paid the prescribed fee and is registered in the Chamber's election schedule.

For Egyptian companies registered in the Commercial Register and the Chamber's election schedule, when the prescribed fee has been performed, choose one of the Egyptian joint venture partners, or one of the Egyptian directors in joint stock companies to have the right to elect the members of the Chamber in whose jurisdiction the general center of the company is located, and the company may choose whomever it deems to be Egyptian branch managers.

The members of the Chambers of Commerce shall be deprived of the right to elect anyone who: who has been declared bankrupt or sentenced for a felony or misdemeanour of theft or concealment of stolen objects, fraud, breach of trust, treachery, bribery, bankruptcy, forgery, use of forged papers, fraud, imitation, false testimony or drug trafficking, as well as those convicted of attempting the said offences, shall be deprived of the right to elect the members of the Chambers of Commerce, unless they are rehabilitated.

The use of electoral rights for detained persons and mentally ill persons detained shall cease for the duration of their detention.

Terms of reference of the Chambers of Commerce

Chambers of Commerce collect, classify and disseminate information and statistics of interest to trade and industry, provide the Government with data, information and opinions on commercial and industrial matters, and determine commercial custom.

Expressing an opinion on the establishment of stock exchanges, coasts, ports, markets and industrial exhibitions, as well as granting franchises related to public utilities.

Submit views and proposals to the Government on the following matters:

A. Laws, regulations and taxes related to trade and industry.

B. Tariffs.

c. Establishment and modification of transport routes, wages and fees.

d. Regulations for dangerous shops that are disturbing for comfort and harmful to health and public shops.

e. All other matters related to the progress of trade and industry.

- Establishment of permanent exhibitions, museums, markets, schools, commercial and industrial institutes and other establishments after the approval of the Minister of Commerce and Industry and within the limits of laws and regulations.

- اOwning or erecting buildings that the Chambers of Commerce need to be their headquarters or for their affiliated establishments or institutes.

- Issuing certificates indicating the origin of Egyptian goods, the nationality of exporters, the prices of the receipts, as well as all certificates authorized by the Minister of Commerce and Industry to issue them.

- Contacting other chambers or government interests in all the data and information they need related to the work within their competence.

Formation of a division of merchants who practice within the jurisdiction of the Chamber a single trade or industry, or trades or industries linked to each other, to take care of their common interests under the supervision of the Chamber or within the limits of its competence.

- Chambers may form from among their members arbitration committees to resolve disputes submitted to them by agreement of stakeholders.

Prohibited Acts on Chambers of Commerce

Chambers of Commerce may not engage in speculation, acts harmful to the market or political or religious matters, nor may they provide any assistance or aid in particular or through mediation to political parties.

Financial resources of the Chambers of Commerce

The annual fees paid by each individual trader or company to the Chamber in whose jurisdiction there is the main shop, public center, one or more branches or one or more agencies, according to the categories determined by the Minister of Commerce and Industry by a decision of the Minister.

- Fees for certificates issued by the Chamber.

- Government subsidies.

- Donations, wills, rents of suspended property, etc.

- Revenues from establishments, institutes or facilities held by the Chamber or any other income.

- Chambers of Commerce may not make a loan contract except with the permission of the Minister of Commerce and Industry, and such authorization does not entail any guarantee by the Government.

Budget of Chambers of Commerce

• The Chambers shall draw up a comprehensive budget for their revenues and expenditures, submit them to the Minister of Commerce and Industry three months before the beginning of the fiscal year, and shall issue a decision of the Minister of Commerce and Industry for adoption within three months of their submission.

• The Chamber shall draw up the final account of the financial department for the elapsed year within three months at the latest from the end of the fiscal year, and the approval of this account shall be issued by a decision of the Minister of Commerce and Industry.

• The Ministry of Commerce and Industry may audit the accounts of the Chambers of Commerce and inspect their facilities.

Cooperation between Chambers of Commerce

• Each Chamber of Commerce may, with the approval of the Minister of Commerce and Industry, participate with other chambers in the establishment and management of any work of benefit to the areas covered by the competences of the said chambers.

• للغرف التجارية أن تكون اتحاداً عاماً لها العناية بالمصالح المشتركة بينها وينشأ هذا الاتحاد بمرسوم تعين فيه بوجه خاص الأحكام المتعلقة بتشكيله، وإدارته، واختصاصاته، وماليته. وعلاقته بالغرف التجارية .

• The General Federation of Chambers of Commerce may establish commercial divisions to coordinate commercial relations between Egypt and foreign countries.

• The meeting of the Division may be attended by the Trade Representative of the foreign State.

• The General Federation of Chambers of Commerce may establish commercial divisions to coordinate commercial relations between Egypt and foreign countries.

• The meeting of the Division may be attended by the Trade Representative of the foreign State.

Chambers of Commerce unwrap

• The Chamber of Commerce may be unwraped by a decree stating the reasons for the unwraping if it violates any of the acts it is prohibited from performing.

• The selection of elected members of the Chamber may take place within a maximum of three months from the date of dissolution of the Chamber. The Minister of Commerce and Industry entrusts the management of the work of the ordinary chamber to a committee until the formation of the new chamber.

Chambers of Commerce shall have a general regulation issued by decree. Each chamber shall be drawn up by an internal regulation issued by a decision of the Minister of Commerce and Industry. The General Regulations of the Chambers of Commerce were issued by Decree dated August 18, 1953. On March 16, 1955, the Council of Ministers issued a decision to establish a general federation of chambers of commerce. On May 24, 1958, the President of the Republic issued Decree No. (453) establishing chambers of industry. On May 24, 1958, the President of the Republic Decree No. (452) was issued to regulate the Federation of Industries. On December 1, 1958, Ministerial Decree No. (514) was issued on the Common Statute of the Chambers of Industry.

public Federation of Chambers of Commerce

** The Federation is the supreme and coordinating body for the efforts of all chambers of commerce and business organizations, as it has legal personality as the legitimate representative of the chambers of commerce, and all organizations with public authorities and foreign regional or international organizations .

**The Union may participate in :

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Conferences, economic seminars, exhibitions, organization of trade delegations, foreign promotional missions, signing bilateral agreements, and establishing joint business councils with many countries .

** As well as carrying out commercial arbitration work in accordance with the provisions of the law, establishing general and common quality divisions, forming the civil committee of the International Chamber of Commerce in Paris, encouraging the establishment of exhibitions, and participating in economic and commercial decision-making with the competent authorities and authorities .

Objectives and Strategy of the Union's Work

1- Starting from a clear vision and specific goals

• Contribute effectively to the modernization and development of internal trade and the development of its systems

• The role of the Union in the development and revitalization of exports.

• Raising awareness and qualifying the commercial sector to deal with the developments and challenges witnessed by the local markets and provide the necessary information to everyone who wants to deal with them

• Developing the investment climate, which encourages national and foreign capital to invest inside Egypt .

• Contribute to raising the competitiveness of commercial enterprises, especially small and medium-sized enterprises, and qualify the human cadres necessary to manage them .

• Highlighting the importance of the role of the commercial community and its contribution to economic and social development to provide a more understanding public opinion of the reality and conditions of its work and to improve the image of the trader and businessman in society in general .

• Seeking to give the Chambers and the Federation confidence, cooperation and respect for all governmental and private bodies and institutions as worthy of participation in the making of all commercial and economic decisions .

2 - Interest in the development of the concept of institutional work within the chambers and the General Union

- Building strong bridges between the chambers and their members of various categories and sectors, which requires activating the role of commercial divisions and developing their activities and services .

- Establishing systems and traditions of work and values in line with the nature of the work of the chambers as devices of services, guidance and development .

- Build advanced executive bodies characterized by efficiency and have the necessary powers so that the rooms through them achieve continuity and accumulation of experience .

- Confirm the link of membership between the chambers and their general union on the basis that each of them derives its strength from the other .

3- Keen to achieve the concept of excellence and quality of performance

4 - Follow the policy of openness to all local and international events

5 - Organizing markets and upgrading the level of commercial services .

Code of Ethics for Traders

 Reboot:

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Article 42 of Law 6 of 2002 amending some provisions of Law 189 of 51 on Chambers of Commerce recognized the right of the General Union of Chambers of Commerce Inherent in drawing up a code of honor for the profession of commerce after taking the opinion of the Chambers of Commerce .

In view of the developments that have taken place in the local and regional arena and the fundamental shifts in the methods, principles and commercial laws, both at the national and global level, and in view of the expansion of the role played by trade in its broad sense, to serve the Egyptian human being, and to support the national economy.

In order to keep up with the code of ethics of the profession with the requirements of society at this stage

This charter was issued after taking the opinion of the chambers of commerce.

Trade Profession :

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The profession of trade in this Charter means trade in its broad sense: the purchase with the intention of selling goods or services, in their condition or after the introduction of any changes in their form, components, place or time ."

The merchant is honored to practice this generous profession, and vows to God and the homeland, provided that God and the sons of his homeland take care of him in the exercise of his work, working to provide goods and services in their best form, at the right price and deliver them to their consumer in the right place and time,

The trader is obliged to :

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First: Towards the citizens :

Not to promote or deal with corrupt or bad goods in secret or in public .

Stay away from the practice of cheating or defrauding citizens .

Not to exaggerate prices and profit margins .

Non-monopoly on goods, seizure or fabrication of crises .

Avoid speculation harmful to markets, citizens and the national economy .

Caring for the rights of consumers, which are summarized in the rights of (listening - science - justice - choice safety) .

Second: Towards his colleagues:

Adhere to the rules of honest competition, and spread the spirit of cooperation and friendliness, with fellow traders .

Fulfill his financial and contractual obligations with his colleagues, and with banks and financial institutions without procrastination .

Ensuring that his rights are used by his colleagues, taking into account facilitation and non-exploitation and injustice,

( Look at Maisarah ) .

Third: Towards the Community :

Not to spread rumors or promote rumors, which would destabilize the economic and social security of the country .

Commitment to the vision and strategy of the State in the field of development and management of the national economy

Commitment to disclose its activities, declared work and in the legitimate frameworks of trade .

Not to exploit its political position or contacts with officials, to achieve material interests or goals unjustly .

Comply with the rules, regulations, regulations, and customs that govern the business activity .

Initiate the payment of the rights of the public treasury of taxes and fees without delay and not evade or smuggling .

Controls for the practice of the profession

Without prejudice to any criminal, civil or disciplinary penalties or penalties provided for in the laws and regulations in force, it shall be considered a violation of the provisions contained in this Charter, violation of the rules of procedure, customs applicable among traders, or any act that affects the integrity of the business, or impairs in any way the ideal role that the merchant and trade must play towards society .

It is considered a professional offense that deserves to be taken, and the appropriate punishment is determined, and the trader is disciplined for it before the "Committee of the Elders of Merchants".

The penalties imposed by the Committee on the violating trader shall be limited to the following :

- Alarm

- Blame

- Warning of the cancellation of the certificate of practicing trade .

- Cancel the certificate of practicing trade and then delete it from the Commercial Register .

Official Website of the General Federation of Chambers of Commerce