COUNCIL OF BRITISH CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE IN EUROPE

The British Chamber of Commerce in the Czech Republic was formed in April 1997. Since then membership has grown to over 330 companies, representing a broad spectrum of British interests in the Czech Republic, from major investors to individual entrepreneurs.

The primary objectives of the Chamber are to promote and enhance business relations between the Czech Republic and the United Kingdom, to help improve the competitive and business environment in the Czech Republic, and to provide a platform for creating new business opportunities.

The Chamber is managed by the Board of Directors, and administered by five of its executive staff.

The Chamber works independently of the British Embassy in the Czech Republic, but maintains very good relations with the British Embassy and its Trade & Investment department.

The British Chamber of Commerce is a member of COBCOE – the Council of British Chambers of Commerce in Continental Europe. As recognition of the Chamber‘s substantial growth, influence and achievements over the past years, the Chamber was identified the best from twenty three British Chambers in Europe and was presented with the prestigious Chamber of the Year 2004 award.

BCC Activities

There are four main areas of the Chamber’s activities: Education and Networking, Commercial Services, Communication, and Patronage Programme.

As regards Education and Networking, the Chamber organises a variety of events in the following areas: breakfast briefings and management workshops, annual lectures, business lunches, business mixers and a number of leisure events.

In the framework of Commercial Services the Chamber offers: contact search, registered business enquiries, business info sheets and programme arranging service.

The Chamber has developed a broad range of Communication channels to provide its members with a wide spectrum of information: FOCUS Magazine is a high quality bi-monthly magazine covering many subjects of interest to both foreign and Czech investors in the Czech Republic. BCC Membership Directory is an annual publication that incorporates the vital statistics of member companies. It contains detailed descriptions of all BCC member companies operating in the Czech Republic and the UK, and other useful addresses. BCC Digest is a bi-weekly journal bringing current Chamber information, and also listing all enquires distributed to the whole of the membership. BCC News Chronicle is a bi-weekly report on the dynamics of the business and legal environment and is circulated to all members as an exclusive service to the Chamber. The bi-weekly Investment and Economy News summarises the latest news about new investments to the Czech Republic and business opportunities.

The Patronage Programme is aimed at selected corporate members of the Chamber. The goal of the Patronage Programme is to provide a platform whereby key British businesses that have invested significantly in the Czech Republic can benefit from an exclusive level of accessibility to major political, economic and academic figures.

Ludek Vrana
Chairman, British Chamber of Commerce in the Czech Republic