The Role of the Council 

Representing more than 30 bilateral Chambers in the UK and more than 10,000 foreign businesses with trading and investment interests in the United Kingdom. The Council of Foreign Chambers of Commerce is a group of the chief executives of foreign Chambers based in the UK. There are currently over 30 members whose principal role is the promotion of trade and investment between their respective countries and the UK, in both directions.

The objective of the Council of Foreign Chambers of Commerce is to protect and promote the collective interests of its member Chambers and the members of those Chambers in multilateral cooperation, trade stimulation and united representation.

Specific Aims

1. To represent the collective interests and views of its members in the UK, and to make representations where necessary to relevant official and private bodies.

2. To act as a focus point for meetings of the CFCC’s members

3. To increase the awareness of the CFCC to trade promotion bodies in the UK

4. To promote, advance and protect business interests and relations between CFCC members and the UK

5. To exchange ideas and information about the activities and ‘modus operandi ‘ of each other, so as to benefit from this information and strengthen the finances and membership of the chambers participating in the Council.

Increasing Contacts

The Council meets about 4 times a year to discuss matters of common interest and to exchange ideas and information about services, relationships, memberships and common experiences. In this way, each Chamber can expand its network of contacts and improve the services it provides to its members.

The Foreign Chambers work closely with their government offices in the UK, with UK government departments and with Chambers of Commerce in the UK and overseas.

All Chambers are funded by members’ subscriptions. Most charge fees for specialist advice and services to non-members. Most have specialist committees, whose members are all volunteers, to advise on a wide range of subjects.

Joint Efforts

Although each chief executive works for and represents its own national Chamber, the Council from time to time acts as a group to arrange joint events and activities.

Each Chamber provides some or all of the following services for its members:

• Trade contacts

• Market surveys and reports

• Certification of documents

• Translation and interpretation

• Advice on marketing in the UK/parent country (publicity, PR, exhibitions, selling agents, etc.

• General trade information

• Membership lists

• Newsletters, magazines, yearbooks and other specialist publications

• Organization of receptions, luncheons, dinners to encourage business contacts

• Conferences, seminars and exhibitions in the UK and overseas

• Lobby and advisory presentations to governments

• Overseas and UK commercial information

• Hotel and travel advice

• Salary and VAT administration and company formation

• Secretarial and office support services