The Chamber of Commerce and Industry - Stara Zagora (CCI), was established in 1991 as an independent association of companies from the Stara Zagora Region. Its main goal is supporting the development of companies’ economic activity and representing and defending the employers’ interests. The Managing Board consists of the Chair – Oleg Stoilov and seven further members – Alexander Paleshutsky, Yovcho Yordanov, Krasimira Sokolova, Mitko Dinev, Mladen Stoyanov, Plamen Rusev, and Svetla Apostolova. The Supervisory Board consists of the Chair – George Syarov, and the members Encho Baramov and Krasimira Chahova.
The Chamber works inside a network with 28 other regional employers’ associations within the system of the Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry. It is the largest nationally-recognised employers’ organisation, incorporating more than 60 thousand companies.
The Chamber of Commerce and Industry - Stara Zagora has a worldwide, long standing reputation for best practices in providing information and consulting services to entrepreneurs. The Chamber is much preferred by European organisations as a partner on joint projects in energy efficiency, ecology, business cooperation, and training activities and seminars, targeting entrepreneurs.
As part of a national representation of employers, CCI - Stara Zagora performs regular opinion surveys of companies in the region as regards business-related legislature. Thus CCI - Stara Zagora has been actively involved in the articulation of the legislative framework of Bulgaria’s economic life. Towards achieving its strategic objectives, the CCI’s leadership has developed a work programme, involving concrete activities and initiatives aimed at:
- improving the business environment in the region;
- attracting new investments;
- promoting export and helping Bulgarian companies in entering European and world markets;
- improving labour market conditions;
- enhancing company culture and competitiveness of the regional businesses.
CCI - Stara Zagora follows the policy of joint efforts for creating a better environment for entrepreneurship development. CCI - Stara Zagora actively works in partnership with regional and local government, other NGOs and with companies in the region.
In the framework of numerous national and international forums CCI - Stara Zagora is engaged in the promotion of the regional economy, history, culture, and tourism and of the investment opportunities that the region provides. The Chamber assists Bulgarian companies and organisations in their international business and project partners search. It also assists foreign companies starting to do business in Bulgaria. The Chamber maintains databases of EU and other international programmes and provides information to all interested parties.
SERVICES TO BUSINESSES
ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES:
- Maintaining Company Register at BCCI;
- Issuing and certifying Certificates for Origin, references and other commercial documents;
- Issuing and certifying business invitations for representatives of foreign business;
- Registration of Company prefix GS1 and generation of barcodes;
- Publishing of companies’ annual reports;
- Translation and legalisation of documents.
BUSINESS INFORMATION SERVICES:
- Providing information about:
- European and national policies and legislation;
- Programmes for SME; EU Structural Funds; Framework Program 7 and other sources of financing;
- Business fairs, exhibitions and forums in Bulgaria and abroad;
- Energy efficiency measures and Renewable Energy Sources;
- Address information, statistics and marketing data; data from business information sources and limited access databases;
- Practices in product quality, standardisation and certification;
- Organising and conducting training courses and seminars;
- Publishing of Business Bulletins and assistance in business partners search; technology transfer and commercial agreements;
- Promoting companies in electronic media and newspapers, and other PR services.
CONSULTANCY SERVICES:
- Conducting marketing surveys;
- Developing project proposals and business plans;
- Project management;
- Legal and foreign trade consultancy;
- Business management consultancy;
- Registration of inventions, utility models, industrial design, trade marks, etc.;
- Assisting the technology transfer and market realisation of research works - search of technology and business partners;
- Organising business delegations and missions abroad;
- Consultancy in Energy Efficiency;
- Consultancy and intermediary services in real estate;
- Resolving disputes by commercial mediation and with the Arbitration Court at BCCI.
The Chamber established and operates:
